H-539                _______________________________________________

                                                    HOUSE BILL NO. 178

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1985 Regular Session

By Representatives Belcher, Hankins, Unsoeld, Allen, Baugher, Todd, Dellwo, Niemi, Smitherman, Prince, Locke, Peery, O'Brien, Leonard, Wang, K. Wilson, Wineberry, Lewis, Fisher, Sayan, P. King, Isaacson and Basich; by Secretary of State request

Read first time 1/23/85 and referred to Committee on State Government. Passed to Committee on Rules 2/1/85. Referred to Committee on Ways & Means 2/6/85 and rereferred to Committee on Rules 3/1/85.

AN ACT Relating to the Washington state internship program; adding new sections to chapter 43.06 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 41.06 RCW; and adding a new section to chapter 28B.16 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     There is established within the office of the governor the Washington state internship program to assist students and state employees in gaining valuable experience and knowledge in various areas of state government.  In administering the program, the governor shall:

          (1) Consult with the secretary of state, the director of personnel, the director of the higher education personnel board, the commissioner of the employment security department, and representatives of labor;

          (2) Encourage and assist agencies in developing intern positions;

          (3) Develop and coordinate a selection process for placing individuals in intern positions;

          (4) Develop and coordinate a training component of the internship program which balances the need for training and exposure to new ideas with the intern's and agency's need for on-the-job work experience;

          (5) Work with institutions of higher education in developing the program, soliciting qualified applicants, and selecting participants; and

          (6) Develop guidelines for compensation of the participants.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     (1) The governor may appoint a coordinator to assist in administering the program created by section 1 of this act.

          (2) The governor shall adopt such rules as are necessary to administer section 1 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     The state internship program shall consist of two individual internship programs as follows:

          (1) An undergraduate internship program consisting of three-month to six-month positions for students working toward an undergraduate degree.  In addition, a public sector employee, whether working toward a degree or not, shall be eligible to participate in the program upon the written recommendation of the head of the employee's agency.

          (2) An executive fellows program consisting of one-year to two-year placements for students who have successfully completed at least one year of graduate level work in public affairs, public administration, or general management with a public sector focus.  Positions in this program shall be as assistants or analysts at the midmanagement level or higher.  In addition, a public sector employee, whether working toward an advanced degree or not, or who has not successfully completed one year of graduate-level work as required by this subsection, shall be eligible to participate in the program upon the written recommendation of the head of the employee's agency.  Participants in the executive fellows program shall receive medical insurance and retirement credit commensurate with other employees of the employing agency.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.     The state personnel board and the higher education personnel board shall each adopt rules to provide that:

          (1) Successful completion of an internship under section 3 of this act shall be considered as employment experience at the level at which the intern position was classified;

          (2) Persons successfully completing an internship under the executive fellows program created under section 3 of this act are eligible for positions in the career executive program under RCW 41.06.430;

          (3) Persons leaving classified or exempt positions in state government in order to take an internship under section 3 of this act have the right of reversion to the previous position at any time during the internship or upon completion of the internship;

          (4) Participants in the undergraduate internship program receive sick leave allowances commensurate with other state employees;

          (5) Participants in the executive fellows program receive sick and vacation leave allowances commensurate with other state employees.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5.     An agency shall not be deemed to exceed any limitation on full time equivalent staff positions on the basis of intern positions established under section 3 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6.     Sections 1 through 5 of this act are each added to chapter 43.06 RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7.  A new section is added to chapter 41.06 RCW to read as follows:

          This chapter does not apply to positions under the state internship program established under section 1 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8.  A new section is added to chapter 28B.16 RCW to read as follows:

          This chapter does not apply to positions under the state internship program established under section 1 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9.     If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.