SB90

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that with the decline of the sugar and pineapple industries in Hawaii, agricultural lands are evolving into small diversified agricultural farms. Further, with the demand for landscaping by many public and private businesses, the landscaping industry is purportedly as large as the diversified agriculture industry in Hawaii. The legislature further finds that the need for agricultural and landscaping workers runs the gamut in terms of skill-level. Both industries have expressed a critical need for government support to establish an educational infrastructure that may prepare students for work in their industries. Appropriate programs would assist in preparing and guiding students who are otherwise unlikely to pursue higher education into jobs that are in demand.

The purpose of this Act is to ensure the continued supply of qualified individuals to support and maintain the agriculture industry and the landscape industry by establishing a comprehensive vocational agriculture and landscape 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 and landscape education. (a) The department shall establish and administer a vocational agriculture and landscape education program. The program shall include adequate staffing of individuals trained or experienced in the fields of vocational agriculture and landscaping to coordinate the program and to provide assistance to school districts for the coordination of the activities of related student organizations and associations.

(b) The vocational agriculture and landscape education program shall be administered by a director who shall:

(1) Assess the agricultural and landscaping needs of the State and devise methods for meeting those needs;

(2) Assist school districts in establishing a vocational agriculture and landscaping program;

(3) Review school district applications for approval of a vocational agriculture and landscaping program;

(4) Evaluate existing programs;

(5) Conduct research and studies for the improvement of curriculum materials for specialty areas of vocational agriculture and landscaping, including aquaculture and incumbent worker training;

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

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

(8) Review applications for vocational agriculture and landscaping teacher certification;

(9) Assist in teacher recruitment and placement in the vocational agriculture and landscaping program;

(10) Serve as a liaison with the Future Farmers of America; other organized youth agricultural entities; representatives of related businesses, industries, and appropriate public agencies; and institutions of higher education to facilitate the dissemination of information;

(11) Promote the improvement of vocational agriculture and landscaping programs;

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

(13) Assist in the development of college-level education programs in agriculture and landscaping; and

(14) Establish an advisory task force comprised of agriculturists and experts in landscaping, who represent the diverse areas of the agriculture industry and the landscaping industry in the State, which shall make annual recommendations on the development of curriculum, staffing, and strategies to establish a source of trained and qualified individuals in agriculture and landscaping and strategies for developing the state program in vocational agriculture and landscaping education, including youth leadership throughout the public schools.

SECTION 3. The department of education shall determine whether the purposes of this Act will be better served by the establishment of a single or two separate programs to support the agriculture and landscape industries.

SECTION 4. The department of education shall consult with the department of agriculture, and the University of Hawaii's college of tropical agriculture and human resources and college of education.

SECTION 5. The department of education shall submit a report of its activities and any requests for funding to further implement the purposes of this Act to the legislature and the governor no later than twenty days before the convening of the regular sessions of 2008 and 2009.

SECTION 6. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $500,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2007-2008, and the same sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2008-2009, to establish the programs described in this Act.

SECTION 7. The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 8. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 9. This Act shall take effect upon its approval;

provided that sections 6 and 7 shall take effect on July 1, 2007.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	90
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007
STATE OF HAWAII