Senate Engrossed

appropriation; STEM internships

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-fifth Legislature

First Regular Session

2021

SENATE BILL 1174

AN ACT

Appropriating monies to the Arizona commerce authority.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Appropriation; Arizona commerce authority; stipends; STEM internships; exemption; report; delayed repeal; definition

A. The sum of $2,000,000 is appropriated from the state general fund in fiscal year 2021-2022 to the Arizona commerce authority for matching monies for educational stipends for high school, college and university students and for teachers of kindergarten programs and any of grades one through twelve in this state who participate in STEM internships as prescribed by this section.

B. The appropriation made in subsection A of this section is allocated as follows:

1. Fifty-five percent for stipends for high school and undergraduate college and university students, with preference given to high school students in rural and title 1 schools.

2. Twenty percent for stipends for graduate-level college and university students.

3. Twenty percent for stipends for teachers of kindergarten programs and any of grades one through twelve in this state.

4. Five percent for administration and outreach costs incurred by the authority in implementing this section.

C. The authority shall establish guidelines, procedures for awarding the stipends to students and teachers and a student evaluation form as follows:

1. A business in this state must sponsor the student or teacher to participate in a STEM internship at the business.

2. The business must agree that if the authority awards the sponsored student or teacher a stipend, the business will also sponsor an additional student or teacher to participate in a STEM internship at the business, at the business's expense.  This paragraph does not apply to a business that employs fewer than one hundred employees.

3. The business shall demonstrate that the STEM internship includes meaningful and subject-relevant assignments with clear outcomes and expectations aligned to industry needs. The internship must include work-learning experiences through challenging projects and tasks with appropriate supervision and sufficient workspace. On completion of the internship, the business shall provide an evaluation of the student's performance to the authority.

4. The stipend awarded by the authority shall be awarded with consideration of the duration of internship as follows:

(a) Up to $4,000 for a high school or undergraduate college or university student.

(b) Up to $7,000 for teachers of kindergarten programs and any of grades one through twelve in this state.

(c) Up to $7,000 for a graduate-level college or university student.

(d) An additional $500 may be awarded if the STEM internship results in an industry certification.

D. The authority shall establish a website where individuals and businesses may apply to receive a stipend and where STEM internships may be posted, even if they do not qualify under this section.

E. The appropriation made in subsection A of this section is exempt from the provisions of section 35-190, Arizona Revised Statutes, relating to lapsing of appropriations.

F. On or before December 1, 2022, the Arizona commerce authority shall submit a report to the governor, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives that contains of the following:

1. The number of stipends awarded.

2. The total awards by recipient category.

3. The average amount awarded by category.

4. The number of STEM internships that led to industry certification or employment.

5. The number of STEM internships posted on the website.

G. This section is repealed from and after December 31, 2022.

H. For the purposes of this section, "STEM" means science, technology, engineering and mathematics.