2019 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 81
BY SENATORS ALLAIN, ALARIO, BARROW, BISHOP, CHABERT, COLOMB,
ERDEY, FANNIN, GATTI, HENSGENS, JOHNS, LONG, MARTINY,
MILLS, RISER, THOMPSON, WALSWORTH, WARD AND WHITE
AND REPRESENTATIVE JAMES
A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
To urge and request the Board of Regents to create the Postsecondary Education Agriculture
Technology Study Commission.
WHEREAS, the agriculture and forestry industry contributes an estimated ten billion
dollars annually to the economy of the state of Louisiana; and
WHEREAS, the agricultural industry is dependent upon highly specialized training
and certifications to ensure the safe and reliable performance of agricultural machinery and
equipment needed to harvest and prepare agricultural products for market and thus drive the
state's economy; and
WHEREAS, the maintenance and repair of agricultural machinery and equipment
requires specialized training and certifications to ensure the safe and reliable performance
of the equipment and to comply with manufacturer warranty repair requirements; and
WHEREAS, technological improvements in precision agriculture and land grading
require additional training for producers as a means to improve production and the ability
to compete at the national level; and
WHEREAS, our postsecondary education institutions are key partners in the training
of citizens to fill equipment maintenance and repair jobs and to create innovations and
opportunities for growth within this industry sector; and
WHEREAS, our postsecondary education institutions have industry partnerships that
should be leveraged to ensure that training opportunities are aligned with industry needs,
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technical specifications, and emerging technologies.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
urge and request the Board of Regents to create the "Postsecondary Education Agriculture
Technology Study Commission" to be composed of fifteen members as follows:
(1) The president of the University of Louisiana System or his designee.
(2) The Louisiana State University vice president for agriculture or his designee.
(3) The chancellor of the Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension
Center or his designee.
(4) The president of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System or his
designee.
(5) The president of Nicholls State University or his designee.
(6) The chancellor of Fletcher Technical Community College or his designee.
(7) Four persons appointed by the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation, representing
the major agriculture commodity groups.
(8) The president of Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation or his designee.
(9) Two persons appointed by the Deep Southern Equipment Dealers Association.
(10) The state director of United States Department of Agriculture Rural
Development in Louisiana or his designee.
(11) The commissioner of higher education or his designee.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the commissioner of higher education shall
convene the commission for an organizational meeting not later than August 15, 2019. The
commission shall elect a chairman and other officers as deemed necessary.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a majority of the membership shall constitute
a quorum and any official action taken by the commission shall require an affirmative vote
of a majority of the quorum present and voting.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of the study commission shall
serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed for expenses by the respective
appointing organization.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Regents shall provide staff support
to the commission.
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the commission shall study and make
recommendations regarding the needs and opportunities related to the creation of an
Agriculture Technology Training Program, including program budgetary needs, curricula,
implementation timeline, cross-system collaboration, and any other items the study
commission deems necessary for the successful implementation of an Agriculture
Technology Program.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Regents shall submit a written
report of the commission's findings and recommendations to the Senate Committee on
Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural Development, the Senate Committee on
Education, the House Committee on Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural
Development, and the House Committee on Education no later than March 1, 2020.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
chairman of the Board of Regents and the commissioner of higher education.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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