House committee advances 3‑year paid internship pilot for high school students
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Summary
The House Labor, Veterans and Military Affairs committee gave a do‑pass to HB280, a three‑year pilot that would fund paid internships through grants to school districts, nonprofits and tribal entities. The Department of Workforce Solutions would administer grants and collect outcome data; appropriation and program design details remain to be finalized.
The House Labor, Veterans and Military Affairs committee on Tuesday advanced House Bill 280, a three‑year pilot to subsidize paid internships for high school students across New Mexico.
Sponsor Representative Gurola told the committee HB280 would create grants for schools, nonprofits and tribal entities to supplement intern pay and provide support services such as mentoring and transportation. Tony Bonifalero of Future Focused Education, an expert witness for the bill, joined the sponsor for the presentation.
Scott Grabinski, deputy secretary at the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions, testified DWS would administer the pilot: developing the grant structure, awarding funds, monitoring use and producing annual and final reports. He told committee members DWS estimated it would need about one‑third of a full‑time equivalent staff position annually (roughly $100,000 per year per the fiscal impact estimate) to run the program and use a portion of the appropriation to cover those costs.
Committee members pressed witnesses on how funds would be allocated and who could participate. Witnesses described a matching fund model in which employers and the state contribute to a central fund that then matches employer contributions on a sliding scale so rural and low‑resource districts can participate. The bill identifies DWS as the entity that would set student selection criteria; sponsors said districts and applicants would propose program designs.
On scale and cost, witnesses said the sponsors envision about 100 students if employers match 50 percent and state support equals the match, at roughly $5,000 per student. The bill also includes a sunset provision in 2029 so lawmakers can review outcomes and consider recurring funding.
Representative Anaya moved a do‑pass recommendation on HB280; the motion was seconded and the committee reported a do‑pass (voice vote; no roll‑call tally recorded in the transcript). The bill will proceed to the next legislative stage for further consideration.
Supporters said the pilot is intended to build a sustainable funding model and to inform policy on aligning paid internships with high school graduation requirements and credit. Opponents did not offer testimony in the room or online during the hearing recorded in the transcript.
Next steps: the bill will move forward per the committee’s do‑pass recommendation; the specifics of eligibility, employer match rates and grant distribution will be set in the DWS program rules and grant design process.