STAND. COM. REP. NO.  230-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   H.B. No. 1997

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 1997 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to promote the expansion and development of the State's agricultural industry by:

(1)  Establishing the K-12 Agriculture Workforce Development Pipeline Initiative Program (Program) in the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to conduct training sessions in agricultural self-sufficiency for teachers and school administrators on the islands of Oahu, Hawaii, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, and Kauai; and

(2)  Making an appropriation for the Program.

The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Hawaii Farm Bureau, Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii, and University of Hawaii System supported this measure.  The Department of Agriculture and Department of Education submitted comments on this measure.

     Should the Committee on Finance deliberate on this measure further, your Committee on Agriculture respectfully requests that it consider appropriating $200,000 for the Program, including the hiring of a full-time coordinator and a workforce development specialist.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1997 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Labor & Public Employment.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture,

____________________________

CLIFT TSUJI, Chair