Section 33A. The University of Massachusetts shall administer a program to be known as the General Court Fellowship Program. Said program shall annually solicit and accept applications for fellowships from the staff of the general court. No more than five such fellowships shall be awarded in any one year. Each fellowship shall continue for as long as the recipient remains under the supervision of the University of Massachusetts and remains an employee of the general court; but in no event for more than one year. Such recipient shall spend the majority of his or her work week in the employ of the general court.
Fellowships shall be awarded to such members of the staff of the general court who are adjudged worthy and qualified candidates by a selection committee on the basis of a submitted proposal that demonstrates a potential for significant contribution to the legislative, research or administrative concerns of the general court. The selection committee shall consist of seven members, of whom three shall be representatives of said University, one the speaker of the house of representatives, or his designee, one the floor leader of the minority party in the house of representatives, or his designee, one the president of the senate, or his designee, and one the floor leader of the minority party of the senate, or his designee.
As used in this section, the term ''staff of the general court'' shall mean any legislative, research or administrative personnel, and personnel having substantially similar duties, who are employed by the general court.