Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Agriculture Legislation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
House Committee Advances Ag Innovation Education Bill Over Concerns About Duplication
Summary
The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee voted 11-5 to advance House Bill 15-36, an Ag Innovation Education Initiative with a $2 million recurring fiscal note; supporters said it will 'structure' existing efforts, while opponents warned it duplicates programs and risks creating another bureaucratic layer.
The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee voted to advance House Bill 15-36, the Ag Innovation Education Initiative, after rolling multiple amendments into a single amendment and approving the measure by a recorded vote of 11 ayes to 5 nays.
Sponsor Representative Shaw said the bill's primary aim is education and coordination. "This bill is adding structure to what we are already doing in many cases," Shaw said, arguing that better organization would reduce waste and broaden agriculture's footprint by teaching technology and best practices to farmers and students.
Opponents raised concerns that the proposal duplicates existing, taxpayer-funded programs run by the University of Tennessee extension, Tennessee State University, state economic development efforts and other initiatives. Representative Halsey told colleagues the bill "adds more layers of government" and could favor larger businesses over smaller farmers. Representative Fritz said she researched the public-private partnership language and would vote no.
Lawmakers questioned the bill's $2,000,000 recurring fiscal note. Representative Jones asked where the $2,000,000 would come from; Shaw said the funding source would need to be identified later and that the committee could look for funding if the bill advanced. Public witness Bernadette Pager, speaking as a private citizen, opposed the appropriation and told the committee she believed Tennessee already had "a robust multi-agency ecosystem" delivering similar services and that she did not feel comfortable "giving $2,000,000" to entities she said would qualify for the grant funds.
Committee members agreed to fold the subcommittee amendment and drafting code 13038 into a single amendment without objection. After debate, the sponsor requested a vote; the clerk recorded 11 ayes and 5 nays, and the bill was reported to the Government Operations Committee as amended.
The next procedural step for House Bill 15-36 is consideration by the Government Operations Committee.
