STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1505

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: S.B. No. 762

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Lower & Higher Education and Agriculture, to which was referred S.B. No. 762, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE EDUCATION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish and fund an agriculture education coordinator position within the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa to oversee the communication and collaboration of the P-20 Agriculture Education Working Group and to lead the implementation for a coordinated framework of support for preschool through post-secondary agriculture education in the State.

The Department of Agriculture, Hawai‘i Farm Bureau, National Future Farmers of America Organization, Hawaii Association of Future Farmers of America, Hawaii State Teachers Association, Pacific American Foundation, Blue Zones Project-Hawaii, Kaho‘omiki, Hawai‘i Farm to School Hui, Kōkua Hawai‘i Foundation, Lahainaluna High School Agriculture Program, Ka Ohana O Na Pua, Keiki and Plow, EcoTipping Points Project, North Shore Economic Vitality Partnership, Local Food Coalition, Waipahu Intermediate School Future Farmers of America, Mililani High School Future Farmers of America, and many individuals testified in support of this measure. The University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources and Department of Education provided comments.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation of $150,000 to an unspecified amount; and

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2052 to promote further discussion.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Lower & Higher Education and Agriculture that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 762, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 762, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Lower & Higher Education and Agriculture,

____________________________ RICHARD P. CREAGAN, Chair

____________________________ JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair