HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	749
TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2013		H.D. 2
STATE OF HAWAII		S.D. 2
		C.D. 1

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.

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

     SECTION 1.  The Hawaii State Planning Act, chapter 226, Hawaii Revised Statutes, declares that it shall be the policy of the State to promote economically competitive activities that increase Hawaii's agricultural self-sufficiency and to increase the attractiveness and opportunities for an agricultural education and livelihood.

     The legislature finds that to ensure Hawaii's agricultural self-sufficiency, it is critical to create a workforce development plan that will:

     (1)  Introduce Hawaii's youth to agriculture-related activities that will promote an interest and aptitude in agricultural sustainability;

     (2)  Engage in an ongoing effort to promote the development of future leaders in the agricultural sector who will have a vision for the future of Hawaii in all sectors of the agriculture industry and its related fields;

     (3)  Identify available opportunities for future workforce participants to engage in and further their training to prepare to become members of the agricultural workforce; and

     (4)  Develop a seamless Hawaii P-20 program to transition future agricultural workforce participants into the workforce.

     SECTION 2.  Chapter 371, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§371-   Hawaii agriculture workforce advisory board; established. (a)  There is created within the department, for administrative purposes only, the Hawaii agriculture workforce advisory board, which shall include the following members or their designees:

(1) The director;

(2) The chairperson of the board of agriculture;

(3) The superintendent of education;

(4) The dean of the college of tropical agriculture and human resources at the University of Hawaii at Manoa;

(5) The dean of the college of agriculture, forestry, and natural resource management at the University of Hawaii at Hilo;

(6) A chancellor of a community college within the University of Hawaii system, selected by the other members of the Hawaii agriculture workforce advisory board;

(7) The president of the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation; and

(8) A representative from the farming community, for a term of two years, to be selected by the chairperson of the board of agriculture.

Section 26-34 shall not apply to the Hawaii agriculture workforce advisory board.  The director shall serve as the chairperson of the Hawaii agriculture workforce advisory board.

(b)  The Hawaii agriculture workforce advisory board shall advise the department on the following matters:

(1) Developing the next generation of the agriculture industry workforce in the State;

(2) Developing the mission, direction, and goals of the Hawaii agriculture workforce advisory board;

(3) Developing partnerships with agricultural organizations and stakeholders to further the Hawaii agriculture workforce advisory board's mission and objectives;

(4) Maintaining and supporting the National Future Farmers of America Organization within the State; and

(5) Recommending projects and programs to promote the expansion and development of the agricultural industry in the State.

(c)  The Hawaii agriculture workforce advisory board members shall serve without compensation; provided that the representative from the farming community shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred during the performance of the representative's duties."

     SECTION 3.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Report Title:

Agriculture; Hawaii Agriculture Workforce Advisory Board

Description:

Establishes the Hawaii Agriculture Workforce Advisory Board to promote agricultural self-sufficiency in the State.  (HB749 CD1)

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