Ley 199 del 2006
Resumen
Esta ley enmienda la Ley Núm. 184 de 3 de septiembre de 1996, conocida como el "Programa de Internado Legislativo Jorge Alberto Ramos Comas". La enmienda elimina el número máximo de internos permitidos por semestre y lo ajusta a la cantidad que permita el presupuesto asignado al programa. Además, establece que el Comité Conjunto encargado del programa deberá establecer, mediante reglamento, un método de selección para los estudiantes nominados por los miembros de la Legislatura, incluyendo criterios como historial académico, notas, experiencia y servicio comunitario.
Contenido
| (H. B. 2312) | |
|---|---|
| (No. 199) | |
| (Approved September 13, 2006) |
AN ACT
To amend Section 5 of Act No. 184 of September 3, 1996, as amended, known as the "Jorge Alberto Ramos Comas Legislative Internship Program," to eliminate the maximum number of interns, and to adjust it to what is allowed by the budget appropriated to said Program, and to establish selection methods.
STATEMENT OF MOTIVES
The Jorge Alberto Ramos-Comas Legislative Internship Program was created in 1996 to offer university students an educational experience that would combine the theoretic and practical elements of legislative procedures and its interaction with the Executive and Judicial Branches. Originally, it was established that this Program would select a maximum of twenty (20) interns per semester to participate in the Internship. Fortunately, the Program has been a success since its beginning, and the number of applications from students who wish to participate in the Internship has increased each year. Due to the high number of applications, a summer session was opened for the first time in June 2005, and in August of the same year for which more than seventy (70) new applications were received from students who want to participate in the next session. This success has caused that several universities have included in their curriculum the participation of their students in this Program. We most add that the purpose for which the Internship was created has been fully accomplished, when we see employees and advisors of the Legislature that are the product of the Program.
The operation of this Program is made possible by the budget appropriations consigned annually in the Joint Resolution of the General Budget of Expenses of the Government, in a separate item under funds 111 and 141 of Joint Activities of the Legislature. Both funds represent an annual appropriation of one hundred seventy-five thousand (175,000) dollars for the implementation of the Internship. This budget appropriation allow for a higher participation than the twenty (20) interns that are currently authorized by law, without jeopardizing future Internship sessions. It is worth mentioning that one of these funds has a term of one (1) year, and the other has a term of three (3) years, at the end of which, if not used, the funds shall revert into the General Budget. Therefore, it is necessary to adjust the law to the reality of the demand and success of the Internship, by eliminating the maximum number of twenty (20) interns and, with prior certification from the Office of Legislative Services as custodian of the funds, to include that number of students allowed by the budget appropriations, without jeopardizing the future of the Program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF PUERTO RICO:
Section 1.- Section 5 of Act No. 184 of September 3, 1996, as amended, is hereby amended to read as follows: "Section 5.- Selection, regulation The Joint Committee shall select as many interns per semester as allowed by the appropriated budget, and without affecting the implementation of the program in subsequent years to be placed in various offices of each Body. The Joint Committee shall establish, through regulations, a method for selection among the students nominated by members of the Legislature, which shall include selection criteria such as the
applicant's educational background, grades, experience, and outstanding services to the community, among other factors."
Section 2.- This Act shall take effect immediately after its approval.
CERTIFICATION
I hereby certify to the Secretary of State that the following Act No. 199 (H.B. 2312) of the $4^{ ext {th }}$ Session of the $15^{ ext {th }}$ Legislature of Puerto Rico:
AN ACT to amend Section 5 of Act No. 184 of September 3, 1996, as amended, known as the "Jorge Alberto Ramos Comas Legislative Internship Program," to eliminate the maximum number of interns, and to adjust it to what is allowed by the budget appropriated to said Program, and to establish selection methods, has been translated from Spanish to English and that the English version is correct.
In San Juan, Puerto Rico, today 27th of June of 2007.
Francisco J. Domenech Director