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HB500
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H.B. NO.
500
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
STATE OF HAWAII
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating
to Agriculture
.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
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SECTION 1.
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The legislature finds that establishing a
permanent educational support associate position placed within the university
of Hawai
ʻ
i college of tropical agriculture and
human resources (CTAHR) is needed to successfully implement the following goals
of the college's cooperative extension program:
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(1)
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Providing non-formal science-based
education;
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(2)
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Acting as the outreach component of CTAHR;
and
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(3)
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Extending practical applications of
science to support local food systems, healthy living, youth development, and
the stewardship of natural resources for future generations.
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The
legislature further finds that CTAHR's Kona cooperative extension, which houses
the Kona research station, provides crucial support for local coffee farmers
statewide, who currently face dire threats to their crops from the recently
discovered coffee berry borer and from coffee leaf rust.
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With a utilized production value of
approximately $48.2 million in the 2023 to 2024 season, the coffee industry
represents the State's most valuable agricultural commodity according to the
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
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Despite this, the coffee industry is currently served statewide by just
one CTAHR extension agent.
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The
legislature further finds that CTAHR's sole extension agent is currently
supported by just one educational support associate position, which has
historically been one hundred per cent grant funded.
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Due to varying grant provisions, the position
is limited to work only within the scope of funded projects and is unable to
address the needs and challenges of other industries supported by CTAHR's
cooperative extension program.
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Additionally,
upwards of thirty to forty-seven per cent of current grant funding is dedicated
to salary and fringe benefits for project support staff, which reduces funding
for educational events, applied research, travel for statewide outreach,
equipment, and materials and supplies that could directly benefit local farmers
and producers.
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The
legislature further finds that establishing a permanent educational support
associate position will provide much needed support to extension faculty; enable
the prioritization of research and community outreach projects throughout the
State; and support the Kona research station, which, among other projects, encompasses
eighteen acres of projects related to coffee, including coffee leaf rust and coffee
berry borer mitigation.
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Accordingly,
the purpose of this Act is to establish and fund a permanent educational
support associate position, within the university of Hawai
ʻ
i
college of tropical agriculture and human resources' Kona cooperative extension
and applied research program, to provide administrative, professional, and
technical support to the college's cooperative extension program and Kona
research station.
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SECTION
2.
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There is appropriated out of the
general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $76,570 or so much thereof
as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same sum or so much
thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the establishment of
one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) permanent educational support associate
position within the university of Hawaii college of tropical agriculture and
human resources' Kona cooperative extension to support the coffee and orchard
crops extension and applied research program and the Kona research station in
the county of Hawaii.
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The
sums
appropriated shall be expended
by the university of Hawaii for the purposes of this Act.
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SECTION
3.
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This Act shall take effect on July 1,
2025.
INTRODUCED BY:
_____________________________
Report Title:
UH;
CTAHR; Position; Establishment; Kona Cooperative Extension; Appropriations
Description:
Appropriates
funds to establish a permanent Educational Support Associate position within
the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources'
Kona Cooperative Extension.
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.