STAND. COM. REP. NO. 233

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 885

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Education and Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 885 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to support and enhance the agriculture and culinary arts industries by ensuring the continued supply of qualified individuals for each industry.

     Specifically, this measure establishes an agricultural and culinary education pilot program that teaches students healthy eating habits and encourages the culinary arts, farming, diversified agriculture, and related industries such as market development and science and technology, as long-term career goals.  This measure also provides reporting requirements and funding to effectuate the program.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Department of Agriculture, the Hawaii State Teachers Association, the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Ka‘ala Farm, Inc., and the Maui County Farm Bureau.  Testimony in opposition to this measure was submitted by the Department of Education.

     Your Committees find that the development of a diversified agriculture industry and related industries is essential to addressing the State's long-term sustainability goals.  The education of our youth is a key component in meeting these goals, and the provision of programs to foster both professional and vocational careers is also necessary to ensure economic and socioeconomic prosperity in Hawaii.  Your Committees further find that in order to ensure the continued supply of qualified individuals to support and maintain the agriculture and related industries, the State must invest in growing an informed and skilled workforce to meet the needs of these industries.

     This measure establishes an agricultural and culinary education pilot program that teaches students healthy eating habits and encourages the culinary arts, farming, diversified agriculture, and related industries as long-term career goals.  Your Committees also heard a related measure, Senate Bill No. 90, which establishes a comprehensive vocational agriculture and landscape education program in the public schools to also address the issue of supplying qualified agricultural and landscaping workers to the agriculture and related industries in Hawaii.  Your Committees believe in the value of teaching our youth the importance of food security, the agricultural sector and workforce, and sustainability efforts and believe this program will spawn a future qualified workforce for the agriculture, culinary arts, landscaping, and other related industries.

     Accordingly, your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Including in the measure the concept espoused in Senate Bill No. 90, to expand the vocational agriculture education program to develop a comprehensive agriculture and landscape education program in the public schools;

     (2)  Including appropriations for and appropriate reporting requirements by the Department of Agriculture, in consultation with the Department of Education and the University of Hawaii, on the implementation of the comprehensive agriculture, culinary arts, and landscaping educational program; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity and style.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 885, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 885, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Education and Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________ RUSSELL S. KOKUBUN, Chair

____________________________ NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair