Bill Text: HI SB663 | 2024 | Regular Session | Introduced

Hawaii Senate Bill 663

Introduced

Bill Title: Relating To The University Of Hawaii.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2023-12-11 - Carried over to 2024 Regular Session. [SB663 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2024-SB663-Introduced.html

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	663
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2023
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

Relating to the University of Hawaii.

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

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the average farmer in Hawaii is sixty years old, and the State lacks a farming workforce large enough to expand cultivated agricultural lands and food production. A primary cause of the shortage of new farmers in Hawaii during the past several decades has been the decline in support for agriculture education from the state government, including the reduced training for agriculture teachers. The lack of support for agriculture education has resulted in disinterest among youth in pursuing agriculture or natural resource management.

The legislature further finds that to meet the State's aspirations for increased food security and self-sufficiency, the number of local farms and farmers and amount of food produced for local markets will need to increase significantly. Agriculture education is key to developing future farmers and a society that values and understands the vital role of agriculture, food, fiber, and natural resource systems in advancing personal, local, and global well-being. Over the past decade, a vibrant grassroots movement in support of agriculture education has emerged in Hawaii along with a marked increase in new farmer training programs and student involvement in FFA, formerly known as Future Farmers of America.

The legislature further finds that to encourage continued momentum for agriculture education, the senate passed Senate Resolution No. 80 (2015) requesting the University of Hawaii college of tropical agriculture and human resources to convene a working group to develop a coordinated framework of support for preschool through post-secondary agriculture education and a plan for implementation, including any proposed legislation, and report to the legislature prior to the regular sessions of 2017, 2018, and 2019.

The legislature further finds that for three years, the University of Hawaii college of tropical agriculture and human resources convened the agriculture education working group, which included governmental and nongovernmental stakeholders. The group's final report to the legislature in 2019 outlines the coordinated framework of support for agriculture education in Hawaii and recommends an agriculture education coordinator position be established. The legislature finds that the agriculture education coordinator's implementation of the framework recommended by the agriculture education working group will result in an increased number of:

(1) Students exposed to agriculture education at all grade levels in public, charter, and independent schools;

(2) Public school students entering and completing the career and technical education agriculture, food innovation, and natural resources career pathway;

(3) Students entering and completing higher education programs, apprenticeships, internships, and work-based learning programs in agriculture and food systems;

(4) Teachers trained in agriculture and food systems education; and

(5) Local food producers and other food systems professionals.

The coordinated framework will also help decrease the average age of farmers in the State and grow the educated agricultural workforce, increasing food security and self-sufficiency, sustainability, and resiliency for Hawaii.

Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to support a coordinated framework for agriculture education by appropriating funds for a full-time agriculture education coordinator position within the University of Hawaii at Manoa college of tropical agriculture and human resources.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $300,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2023-2024 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2024-2025 for the establishment of one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) agriculture education coordinator position within the University of Hawaii at Manoa college of tropical agriculture and human resources.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the University of Hawaii for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2023.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Agriculture; Education; Coordinator; Position; University of Hawaii at Manoa; College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources; Appropriation

Description:

Appropriates funds for the establishment of an agriculture education coordinator position within the University of Hawaii at Manoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.