(a) The Legislative Council and the Department of Finance and Administration are authorized to establish, for their respective agencies, agreements with institutions of higher education to utilize highly qualified graduate level students who are seeking a Master of Arts or Master of Public Administration degree in the departments of political science of such institutions to perform duties for their respective agencies.
(b) The program shall be known as an “internship program” through which graduate level students can obtain practical experience in state government.
(c)
(1) Students preparing for careers in government shall be given priority in employment under this program.
(2) Only qualified graduate level students who are citizens of the State of Arkansas shall be eligible to receive the benefits of the provisions of this section.
(3) In addition, internship agreements shall be based on the anticipated benefits and services to be rendered to the Legislative Council or the Department of Finance and Administration under the agreement with the institution of higher education.
(d) All internship agreements entered into under the provisions of this section shall be at such rates as agreed to between the contracting institution of higher education and the Legislative Council or the Department of Finance and Administration, but shall not exceed two hundred fifty dollars ($250) per month per student for the time required for the student to complete his or her degree requirements, including the internship work obligations under agreements entered into under the provisions of this section.
(e) No such internship agreement shall be for more than twenty-one (21) months per student.