HOUSE BILL 23-1094
BY REPRESENTATIVE(S) Lukens and Catlin, Armagost, Bacon, Bird,
Bockenfeld, Brown, English, Hamrick, Holtorf, Lieder, Lindsay, Lindstedt,
Martinez, Mauro, McCormick, McLachlan, Michaelson Jenet, Ricks,
Snyder, Soper, Taggart, Titone, Valdez, Vigil, Weinberg, Winter T.,
Woodrow, Young, McCluskie;
also SENATOR(S) Roberts and Pelton R., Exum, Ginal, Hinrichsen,
Marchman, Mullica, Pelton B., Simpson, Will, Fenberg.
C
ONCERNING MODIFICATIONS TO THE AGRICULTURAL WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
SECTION 1. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly
finds and declares that:
(a) Finding qualified and trained agricultural employees, especially
young and beginning farmers and ranchers, remains a significant challenge
for farmers, ranchers, and agricultural businesses;
(b) Internships are a recognized way to build a talent pipeline and
career pathway to provide young and beginning farmers and ranchers
NOTE: This bill has been prepared for the signatures of the appropriate legislative
officers and the Governor. To determine whether the Governor has signed the bill
or taken other action on it, please consult the legislative status sheet, the legislative
history, or the Session Laws.
________
Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material added to existing law; dashes
through words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law and such material is not part of
the act. education, training, and hands-on experience;
(c) The agricultural workforce development program was
established in 2018 to find and train interns for Colorado farmers, ranchers,
and agricultural businesses and to begin building a well-trained workforce
for Colorado's agricultural industry;
(d) The agricultural workforce development program provides
financial incentives to farmers, ranchers, and agricultural businesses to hire
interns and provide the interns with the hands-on training and experience
needed to pursue a career in agriculture;
(e) The agricultural workforce development program has been
instrumental in training young and beginning farmers and ranchers and in
developing an experienced agricultural workforce, but the program is
currently scheduled for repeal in July 2024;
(f) By extending the duration of internships from six months to up
to one year, the agricultural workforce development program can provide
additional, year-round training and experience to interns and provide
farmers, ranchers, and agricultural businesses well-trained help throughout
different agricultural seasons; and
(g) Additionally, by extending the scheduled repeal date for the
agricultural workforce development program, the program will continue to
serve Colorado's farmers, ranchers, agricultural businesses, and the next
generation of agriculturalists.
SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 35-1-104.5, amend (2)
introductory portion, (2)(b)(II), and (4) as follows:
35-1-104.5. Agricultural workforce development program -
legislative declaration - creation - rules - repeal. (2) The commissioner
shall promulgate rules by January 1, 2019,
creating the agricultural
workforce development program to provide incentives to agricultural
businesses to hire interns through partial reimbursement of internship costs.
The rules must specify, at a minimum:
(b) The criteria for an internship to qualify under the program,
including the following:
PAGE 2-HOUSE BILL 23-1094 (II) The internship cannot exceed six months ONE YEAR in duration
per intern;
(4) This section is repealed, effective July 1, 2024 JULY 1, 2029.
SECTION 3. Safety clause. The general assembly hereby finds,
determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate
preservation of the public peace, health, or safety.
____________________________ ____________________________
Julie McCluskie Steve Fenberg
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE PRESIDENT OF
OF REPRESENTATIVES THE SENATE
____________________________ ____________________________
Robin Jones Cindi L. Markwell
CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE SECRETARY OF
OF REPRESENTATIVES THE SENATE
APPROVED________________________________________
(Date and Time)
_________________________________________
Jared S. Polis
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF COLORADO
PAGE 3-HOUSE BILL 23-1094