State House Internships
Internships in the Massachusetts Legislature offer a unique experience for students to learn about the many aspects of state government and the legislative process by providing first-hand experience and insight into how laws are created, debated, and passed here in the Commonwealth. Legislative interns gain practical experience working for a State Senator, State Representative or a Committee. While interns come from a varied spectrum of academic backgrounds, priority is typically given for students pursuing an undergraduate degree or higher.
The intern program provides students with a better understanding of public service and the legislative process in Massachusetts. Interns are unpaid volunteers; however, students may be eligible to earn academic credit for their participation by making arrangements through their advisors and professors.
During June and July, interns are invited to attend the Joint Legislative Summer Speaker Program for a diverse and robust, bipartisan series of weekly lectures organized exclusively for legislative interns. The lectures, offered Monday through Thursday with one in the morning and one in the afternoon, provide an overview of the variety of roles in and across state government. Past Legislative Intern Seminar presenters include the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Attorney General, State Treasurer, Cabinet Secretaries, Legislators, Legislative staff and advocates.
For those interested in seeking an internship, your first step is to identify your local State Representative or State Senator. If you are unsure who your elected officials are, you may check here: https://www.sec.state.ma.us/WhereDoIVoteMA/WhereDoIVote
Office policy and process for onboarding interns remains at the discretion of each elected official and is based on their space, capacity, and district needs. While one office might host interns on a rolling basis throughout the year, another may have capacity limited to the summer. After you've identified your Representative or Senator, you may contact their office directly to express interest and inquire about any available internship opportunities. We strongly suggest emailing your resume and cover letter, indicating your interest in applying for an internship.
For questions related to the Intern Program, please contact:
Senate Legislative Interns: The Senate Office of Education and Civic Engagement, Anne Ziaja email: Anne.Ziaja@masenate.gov | phone 617-722-1380
House Legislative Interns: The House Committee on Human Resources and Employee Engagement at 617-722-2380
Senate Members, House Members, or Find My Legislator
Internship Responsibilities
Legislative offices are unique, and they each have their own set of needs, so an intern’s experience varies by office. The following are examples of possible legislative intern responsibilities:
Legislative Research
Research Bills - The objective is to summarize what the proposal is and who are its proponents and opponents.
Research Issues - Your supervisor may have you research legislative issues and issues pertaining to the Legislator’s district.
Attend Hearings - All legislation is heard before committees before coming to the floor for further action.
Observe Floor Action - According to the Constitution of Massachusetts, the Legislature is required to meet in their respective Chambers for either a formal or informal session every 72 hours. The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House determine the days and times of the sessions.
Constituent Services- As an intern, you may be asked to work with residents of the communities in the Legislator’s district. This may include assisting constituents in resolving a problem, fielding calls regarding legislative inquires, or drafting correspondence.
Administrative Duties- Other various administrative duties are central to the success of a legislator’s office and may include: answering phones, typing, filing, and preparing mailings, letter writing, copying data and performing office errands and reading and researching state and local news articles.
