Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Education and Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 1843 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to ensure a pool of qualified individuals to support and maintain Hawaii's agriculture industry by establishing and appropriating funds for a comprehensive vocational agriculture education program in the public schools.

The Workforce Development Council of the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Hawaii State Teachers Association, Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, and Economic Development Alliance of Hawaii testified in support of this bill. The Department of Agriculture supported the intent of this measure.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Agriculture that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1843 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.