HB 1654 Summary

• Establishes a qualified internship grant program within the Department of Education to provide grants to businesses and organizations that employ qualified interns in work-based learning experiences.

• Requires qualified internship programs to compensate interns at minimum wage, limit work to no more than 15 hours per week during school and 40 hours per week during breaks, employ interns for no more than 150 hours total, and comply with federal child labor laws.

• Designates an eligible 501(c)(3) non-profit organization selected through competitive bidding to administer the program in partnership with the Department of Education, which must verify applicant information and report internship outcomes.

• Allows grant funds to be used for intern compensation and costs of additional labor or materials required to operate the internship program, with specific grant amounts to be determined.

• Appropriates general revenue funds for fiscal year 2024-2025 to establish and implement the program; takes effect July 1, 3000.