STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3007

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1997

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Water, Land, and Agriculture and Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1997 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to implement the recommendation of the Hawaii Agriculture Workforce Advisory Board that the State should create an agriculture workforce development pipeline initiative to conduct training on all islands for teachers and school administrators in agricultural self-sufficiency.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Department of Education, University of Hawai‘i System, Hawaii State Teachers Association, Hawai‘i Center for Food Safety, Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii, Maui County Farm Bureau, Hawaii Papaya Industry Association, and forty-seven individuals.

     Your Committees find that Act 99, Session Laws of 2013, established the Hawaii Agriculture Workforce Advisory Board to advise the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations on, among other things, projects and programs recommended to promote the expansion and development of the State's agricultural industry.  One recommendation of the Advisory Board is for the State to create an agriculture workforce development pipeline initiative to conduct training on all islands for teachers and school administrators in agricultural self-sufficiency.  This measure would implement that recommendation.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water, Land, and Agriculture and Education that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1997, and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committees on Judiciary and Labor and Ways and Means.

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

________________________________ MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair