Public Service Internship Scholarship Program - Renaming and Funding

HB 1114 renames the Walter Sondheim Jr. Public Service Internship Scholarship Program to the Public Service Internship Scholarship Program and specifies four core internship pathways: the Governor’s Summer Internship Program, Maryland Department of Transportation Fellowship, Shriver Maryland Nonprofit Leadership Internship, and Shriver Public Service Law Fellowship. The bill adds priority criteria for students, requiring residency in Maryland, demonstrated interest in public service, and service in underserved areas (e.g., legal aid for low-income residents, nursing in shortage zones, or transportation roles). It mandates that starting in fiscal year 2027, the Governor must include in the annual budget an appropriation sufficient to double the number of internships funded in the 2024-2025 school year. Administered by the Shriver Center at UMBC, the program provides $2,000-$5,000 scholarships for eligible Maryland college or graduate students seeking public service internships.