Connecticut HB 5478: AN ACT SUPPORTING "LEARN AND EARN" INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.

Bill Text

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General Assembly  
Substitute Bill No. 5478  
February Session, 2026 
 
 
 
 
 
AN ACT SUPPORTING "LEARN AND EARN" INTERNSHIP 
OPPORTUNITIES.  
Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  in General 
Assembly convened: 
 
Section  1.  (NEW)  (Effective  July  1,  2026)  (a)  As  used  in  this  section, 1 
"small  business"  means  a  business  entity  in the  state  that  has  fifty  or 2 
fewer employees. 3 
(b)  The  Board  of  Trustees  of  The  University of  Connecticut  and  the 4 
Board of Regents for Higher Education shall each, within the availability 5 
of funds appropriated specifically for such purpose, establish a program 6 
to  provide  training  and  support  to  small  businesses  to  enable  such 7 
businesses  to  offer  a  paid  quality  internship  program.  An  internship 8 
program  shall  be  considered  a  quality  internship  program  if  such 9 
program  addresses  not  fewer  than  six  of  the  eight  career  readiness 10 
competencies  established  by  the  National  Association  of  Colleges  and 11 
Employers,  as  determined  by  said  boards.  Each  board  shall  post  in  a 12 
conspicuous location on its Internet web site (1) information about such 13 
program  to  provide  training  and  support  to  small  businesses,  (2)  any 14 
eligibility  requirements  for  a  small  business  to  participate  in  such 15 
program,  and  (3)  the  application  form  for  such  program.  Each  board 16 
shall offer specialized support to each small business accepted to such 17 
program that is unique to such small business's industry and location. 18 
The  supports  offered  by  such  program  shall  include,  but  need  not  be 19 

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limited  to,  the  following:  (A)  Training  in  internship  management,  (B) 20 
development  of  a  job  description,  (C)  assistance  with  establishing 21 
specific skills an intern would learn and learning opportunities available 22 
to an intern, and (D) guidance on assessments to use to assess internship 23 
performance. 24 
(c)  Not  later  than January  1,  2027,  and  annually  thereafter, the 25 
president  of  The  University  of  Connecticut  and  the  chancellor  of  the 26 
Connecticut State Colleges and Universities shall each submit a report, 27 
in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, 28 
to  the  joint  standing  committee  of  the  General  Assembly  having 29 
cognizance  of  matters  relating  to higher  education  and  employment 30 
advancement. Such report shall include, but need not be limited to, each 31 
small business supported through the program established pursuant to 32 
subsection  (b)  of  this  section,  the  types  of  supports  provided  and  the 33 
number of internships offered by such small business. 34 
Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2026) (a) The Board of Trustees of The 35 
University   of   Connecticut   and   the   Board   of   Regents   for   Higher 36 
Education  shall  each, within  the  availability  of  funds  appropriated 37 
specifically for such purpose, establish a program to provide stipends to 38 
any student enrolled at an institution of higher education governed by 39 
such  board  who  receives  the  federal  Pell  grant  and  is  pursuing  an 40 
internship opportunity. Such stipend shall be in an amount prescribed 41 
by   each   board   and   shall   be   used   to   offset   the   costs   related   to 42 
participation  in  an  internship  program,  including,  but  not  limited  to, 43 
transportation   and   clothing   costs.   Each   board   shall   post   in   a 44 
conspicuous location on its Internet web site information concerning the 45 
stipend  program,  including,  but  not  limited  to,  eligibility  guidelines, 46 
application forms and the amount of stipend available to each applicant. 47 
(b) Not later than July 1, 2027, and annually thereafter, the president 48 
of The University of Connecticut and the chancellor of the Connecticut 49 
State Colleges and Universities shall each report, in accordance with the 50 
provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the joint standing 51 
committee  of  the  General  Assembly  having  cognizance  of  matters 52 

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relating  to higher  education  regarding  the  number  of  students  who 53 
received   a   stipend   through   the   program   established   pursuant   to 54 
subsection (a) of this section. 55 
Sec.  3.  (Effective  July  1,  2026)  Not  later  than January  1,  2027, each 56 
institution  of  higher  education  in  the  state  shall  submit  a  report,  in 57 
accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, 58 
to  the  joint  standing  committee  of  the  General  Assembly  having 59 
cognizance  of  matters  relating  to higher  education.  Such  report  shall 60 
include  a  description  of  each  paid