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Committee approves amendment and sends agriculture innovation education bill to finance
Summary
Senate Bill 1645, a public‑private partnership to expand agricultural innovation education, had an amendment added to require a comptroller evaluation after year three and was sent to the Finance Committee after testimony both for and against.
Senate Bill 1645 (Tennessee Agriculture Innovation Education Initiative), presented by Senator Wally and described as Representative Shaw's proposal, would create a public‑private partnership focused on modern agricultural technology, workforce training and university/nonprofit partnerships. Senator Wally said the program aims to broaden access to modern ag tools and education and would include independent evaluations of results.
The committee adopted a department‑requested amendment clarifying contracting language and adding a comptroller evaluative report after the third fiscal year. Bernadette Pager, appearing as a private citizen, opposed the bill on fiscal and framing grounds: she said the proposal creates a recurring $2,000,000 fiscal note and criticized the bill’s undefined emphasis on "modern agriculture," arguing it could advantage large industry actors. Senator Wally said the bill is the representative's initiative and that the committee would not be creating an industry‑owned program; the committee then voted to send SB 1645 to Finance (recorded tally reported as 6 ayes, 2 nos).
