STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1394

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   S.B. No. 885

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Agriculture and Economic Development & Business Concerns, to which was referred S.B. No. 885, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to expand the scope of the existing Vocational Agriculture Education Program by, among other things, requiring the Department of Education (DOE) to:

     (1)  Establish an Agricultural and Culinary Education Program (ACEP) that integrates culinary arts with the school lunch program and the Agricultural Education Program (AEP) to teach students healthy eating habits and encourage culinary arts, farming, diversified agriculture, and related industries such as market development and science and technology, as career options; and

     (2)  Submit progress reports and funding requests to the 2008 and 2009 Legislatures.

     The Department of Agriculture (DOA), DOE, University of Hawaii, Workforce Development Council, Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Maui County Farm Bureau, Hawaii Agriculture Research Center, and Hawaii Crop Improvement Association  supported this bill.

     Your Committees find that the programs contained in this bill are important in ensuring the availability of a skilled workforce for Hawaii's agricultural industry and in promoting good nutritional health for our youth.  Your Committees note that this measure provides a definition for the term "agriculture" that explicitly includes landscaping, aquaculture, culinary arts, and related areas such as market development and science and technology.  Furthermore, this measure provides much-needed support for educators and administrators to implement the programs and promotes life-long learning, including college-level education programs in agriculture.

     Your Committees encourage DOE, DOA, and other agencies involved to continue their efforts in promoting active participation in, and implementation of, the programs contained in this bill.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Revising the reporting requirements by requiring that:

          (A)  Both reports contain DOE's activities towards implementation of the AEP;

          (B)  Both reports contain any requests for funding to further implement the AEP and the ACEP; and

          (C)  The initial report include a description of DOE activities toward implementing Act 233, Session Laws of Hawaii 2006, which established the VAEP;

          and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for style, clarity, and consistency.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Economic Development & Business Concerns that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 885, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it be referred to the Committee on Finance, in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 885, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Economic Development & Business Concerns,

____________________________ KYLE T. YAMASHITA, Chair

____________________________ CLIFT TSUJI, Chair