Establishes legislative internship program.

2026-2027 Regular Session Introduced by Rosy Bagolie and 8 co-sponsors

Creates a House-approved, funded NJ Legislature internship program for district interns, prioritizing NJ students and seeking federal funds annually.

Reported out of Assembly Committee, 2nd Reading

Overview

A 2453 establishes a legislative internship program in New Jersey to allow legislators to employ interns in their district offices, with approval from the presiding officer of the member’s House. The program aims to provide experiential learning for students while offering a pathway for federally funded internship support.

Main purpose and intent

Create an official, House-approved legislative internship program within the New Jersey Legislature.

Provide structured internship opportunities for students by allowing legislators to hire interns for district office work.

Proactively seek and utilize federal funding and grants to support the program, including potential On-the-Job Training funds under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.

Key provisions and changes

Approval process: Legislators must obtain approval from their House presiding officer before employing an intern.

Eligibility:

Open to any full-time or part-time student currently enrolled in an accredited higher education institution.
Available to undergraduate and graduate students, but excludes juris doctor (JD) and PhD programs.

Priority placement: New Jersey residents or students attending New Jersey-based higher education institutions receive priority in the applicant pool.

Internship structure:

Each participant must complete one work period in a legislator’s district office.
The length and details of the work period are to be determined by each legislator prior to hiring.

Post-first-period option: Legislators may retain an intern for an additional period if the intern agrees to continue.

Funding and administration:

The Legislature, with the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, must annually pursue and utilize applicable federal funds or assistance for the program.
Funding sources may include the federal On-the-Job Training program under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.

appropriation: An appropriation from the State General Fund is authorized as necessary to support the program.

Who is affected

Legislators: Required to obtain presiding officer approval before hiring interns and to determine the specifics of each intern’s work period.

Intern applicants: Prospective college students; eligibility is broad but excludes JD and PhD tracks.

New Jersey residents and NJ-based institutions: Given priority in the applicant pipeline.

Department of Labor and Workforce Development: Coordinated role in securing and administering federal funds for the program.

State General Fund: Source of potential ongoing funding to support the program.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Effective date: Immediate.

Implementation timeline: Not explicitly specified in the text; requires annual federal funds applications and administration, suggesting ongoing, year-to-year operation.

Legislative action: Introduced January 13, 2026; referred to Assembly State and Local Government Committee. Sponsor list includes multiple co-sponsors.

Potential impact

Provides structured, funded internship opportunities that may enhance constituent services and outreach at the district level.

Increases access to legislative work experience for a broad range of students, with a bias toward New Jersey-based participants.

Establishes a recurring funding mechanism via federal grants, potentially stabilizing internship opportunities beyond state budgets.