HB1843

Report Title:

Vocational Agriculture Education

Description:

Provides a comprehensive vocational agriculture education program in the department of education.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	1843
TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2006
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE EDUCATION.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that, with the decline of the sugar industry, agricultural lands are returning to a new era of small diversified agricultural farms. Crops such as coffee, macadamia nuts, flowers and foliage, and specialty exotic fruits not only provide fresh produce and flowers to Hawaii's markets, but also have become major exports to destinations around the world. The agriculture industry generated and contributed approximately $2,900,000,000 last year to the State's economy.

The maintenance of this growing and vital industry requires a continued supply of educated and trained individuals who can provide the necessary expertise to meet the future needs of agriculture in the State.

The purpose of this Act is to ensure the continued supply of qualified individuals to support and maintain the agriculture industry by providing a comprehensive vocational agriculture education program in the public schools.

SECTION 2. Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§302A- Vocational agriculture education. (a) The department shall establish and administer a vocational agriculture education program. The program shall include adequate staffing of individuals trained or experienced in the field of vocational agriculture to coordinate the vocational agriculture education program and to provide assistance to school districts for the coordination of the activities of student agricultural organizations and associations.

(b) The vocational agriculture education program shall:

(1) Assess the agricultural needs of the State and devise methods of meeting those needs with the vocational agriculture education program;

(2) Assist school districts in establishing vocational agriculture programs;

(3) Review school district applications for approval of vocational agriculture programs;

(4) Evaluate existing programs;

(5) Plan research and studies for the improvement of curriculum materials for specialty areas of vocational agriculture;

(6) Ensure that the standards and criteria developed under this section satisfy the mandates of federally assisted vocational education;

(7) Develop in-service programs for teachers and administrators of vocational agriculture;

(8) Review applications for vocational agriculture teacher certification;

(9) Assist in teacher recruitment and placement in vocational agriculture programs;

(10) Serve as a liaison with the Future Farmers of America, representatives of business, industry, and appropriate public agencies, and institutions of higher education to facilitate dissemination of information;

(11) Promote improvement of vocational agriculture programs;

(12) Assist in the development of adult and continuing education programs in vocational agriculture; and

(13) Establish an advisory task force of agriculturists, who represent the diverse areas of the agricultural industry in the State, that shall make annual recommendations including, but not limited to, the development of curriculum, staffing, and strategies to establish a source of trained and qualified individuals in agriculture and strategies for articulating the state program in vocational agriculture education, including youth leadership throughout the public schools.

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007, for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 5. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2006.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________