A Senate committee reviewed legislation that would require the Commissioner of Agriculture, career-technical centers (CTCs) and farm equipment manufacturers and dealerships to establish a pilot program to ensure career-technical instructors have tools and training to repair farm equipment and to train students for related jobs.

Counsel explained that the bill would set up a community-partnership pilot in which the Commissioner of Agriculture would collaborate with educational partners and businesses to prepare a strategic implementation plan, negotiate funding, and commence training activities. Counsel also said the commissioner would propose implementing rules and that the bill as drafted contained language referencing "right to repair."

CTE representatives and several senators said they support the intent but raised practical concerns. A CTE director testifying in committee said many of the proposed activities can already be done under existing agriculture CTE pathways and Perkins-funded programs. He warned that creating a new program could shift students and funding away from the existing agriculture program (Perkins funding and state block funds are allocated based on completer counts and program design), causing duplication and financial reallocation that might harm established pathways.

Committee members noted the fiscal note from the Department of Agriculture reported no fiscal impact, but several senators asked whether CTEs or counties would absorb costs if equipment or program expansion were required. Counsel acknowledged the bill calls the effort a pilot program but does not specify a time or geographic limit that would normally define a pilot.

Given the outstanding drafting and funding questions, the chair called for further work and, without taking a final vote, laid the bill over for future committee consideration so counsel, the Department of Agriculture, industry representatives and CTE leaders could refine scope and address funding and implementation details.

Committee members requested: clearer limits or definitions for a pilot (duration/geography), clarification of whether the program should be housed within the existing agriculture systems CTE pathway, and an explicit accounting of how Perkins and state block funds would be affected if the proposed program draws students away from established programs. No formal amendments were adopted and no referral motion was made at this meeting.