HF 2766 creates a new Minnesota statute requiring certain state interns to be paid at least $15 per hour. The wage floor applies only to interns who are eligible for a federal Pell Grant under the federal needs analysis and who are enrolled in at least nine semester credits per term, or the equivalent. The bill defines “state intern” by reference to existing law and expressly includes interns in designated internships in the executive, legislative, and judicial branches.
The bill also excludes interns who qualify for an unpaid internship under federal labor law, so it does not override federal rules that permit unpaid placements. In effect, the proposal establishes a targeted minimum wage requirement for a subset of financially need-based state interns while leaving other internship arrangements unchanged.
Impact
If enacted, the bill would add section 43A.60 to Minnesota Statutes, chapter 43A, and would require state agencies and other state-branch internship programs to pay at least $15 per hour to qualifying interns. It would affect state internship compensation policies across the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, but only for interns meeting the Pell Grant and enrollment criteria and not otherwise exempt under federal unpaid-internship standards.
Sentiment
The available record shows no committee transcript or vote history, so there is no documented debate or recorded opposition in the materials provided. Based on the bill’s narrow scope and its focus on paid opportunities for low-income students, the measure appears aimed at expanding access to state internships for financially eligible college students.
Contention
The main policy issue is the targeted nature of the wage mandate: supporters would likely view the bill as improving equity and access by compensating interns with demonstrated financial need, while any concerns would center on added costs to state internship programs and whether the eligibility limits are too narrow or too broad. The bill’s explicit carve-out for internships that may legally remain unpaid under federal law also suggests an effort to avoid conflict with federal labor standards.