CHAPTER 656
H.P. 1320 - L.D. 1880
An Act To Promote Youth Involvement in County and Local Government
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 5 MRSA c. 20 is enacted to read:
CHAPTER 20
COUNTY AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
There is established the County and Local Government Internship Program, administered by the Margaret Chase Smith Center for Public Policy within the University of Maine System referred to in this chapter as "the program," for attracting and placing qualified undergraduate and graduate college students temporarily within county and local governments.
The purposes of this program are:
1. Selection. To attract and select college students with ambition and talent for temporary internships within county and local governments;
2. Placement. To place each program intern in a position of some responsibility where the intern can contribute ideas, enthusiasm and ingenuity while completing a project under the direction of a responsible county or local administrator;
3. Liaison. To encourage liaisons between county and local governments and the various institutions of higher learning located within the State; and
4. Recommendations. To formulate recommendations for improving the program and for attracting college graduates with outstanding potential into permanent positions of employment within county and local governments.
To be eligible to participate in the program, a student must:
1. College. Have completed at least 2 years of college or have graduated from college within the past year; and
2. Residence. Be a state resident or attend a college in the State.
§474. Duties of the Margaret Chase Smith Center for Public Policy
The program is administered by the Margaret Chase Smith Center for Public Policy within the University of Maine System and is referred to in this chapter as "the center." The center's duties include the following.
1. General supervision. The center shall exercise general supervision over the operation of the program and shall develop and put into effect administrative guidelines for interns and county and local government personnel, formulate policies and establish and administer operational procedures.
2. Promotion; recruitment. The center shall disseminate widely information and application forms and otherwise publicize the program to attract the attention and interest of as many college students as possible and shall receive the completed application blanks of those students interested, as well as answering inquiries for further details and information.
3. Participation of county and local governments. The center shall acquaint officials and administrators with the program and its advantages, encouraging the greatest possible participation by county and local government offices.
4. Selection. Applications of interested students received by the center must be processed in accordance with procedures to be established by the center.
5. Placement. The center shall place students with participating county and local government offices.
6. Orientation. The center shall arrange an orientation for interns and supervising county and local personnel prior to commencement of intern work within a county or local government office and may conduct special programs during the internship to ensure that interns obtain a broad understanding of county and local governments.
7. Coordination. The center shall coordinate the activities of the interns with the various participating county and local government offices to the maximum advantage of the program.
8. Annual report. The center shall produce an annual report, which is a public document, by the end of each calendar year on the operation of the program. Copies of the report must be filed with the Legislature.
§475. Conditions of employment
1. Temporary unclassified service. Interns are considered temporary, unclassified employees of the county and local governments. The employing county or local government office may discharge an intern for cause with one week's advance notice to the intern and the center. The center may reassign an intern or release the intern from the program with one week's advance notice to the intern and the office when it is considered in the best interest of the program.
2. Salary. The center shall determine from time to time an appropriate minimum salary for interns, which must be paid by the participating county and local government offices. The center may negotiate the placement of an intern within county or local government and, to further the purposes of the intern program, may make funds from this chapter available to the intern.
3. Internship training. Participating county or local government offices shall release intern personnel to participate in paid orientation or training activities planned by the center as part of the internship program.
§476. Acceptance of gifts, bequests, grants, aid
The center may accept gifts, bequests and endowments for purposes consistent with the objectives of this chapter and may accept federal, private foundation and other grants and matching funds when determined to be in the best interests of the program.
Effective August 23, 2006.
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