Senate Bill S6271

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  6271

                       2009-2010 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                            November 6, 2009
                               ___________

Introduced by Sen. AUBERTINE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules

AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to beekeep-
  er and apiary surveys

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1.  Section 173 of the agriculture and markets law, as amended
by chapter 430 of the laws of 1985, the closing paragraph  as  added  by
chapter 249 of the laws of 2007, is amended to read as follows:
  S 173. Eradication of bee diseases and certain insects affecting bees.
The  commissioner  may  cause  inspections to be made of apiaries in the
state for  the  discovery  of  infectious,  contagious  or  communicable
diseases  and  for  the  discovery  of  insects  and parasitic organisms
adversely affecting bees, and for the discovery of species or subspecies
of bees which have been determined by him to cause injury,  directly  or
indirectly,  to  this  state's  useful  bee  population, crops, or other
plants. He may also cause investigations to be made as to the best meth-
od for the eradication of diseases of bees, insects or parasitic  organ-
isms  adversely  affecting  bees,  or  for the eradication of species or
subspecies of bees which have been determined by him  to  cause  injury,
directly or indirectly, to this state's useful bee population, crops, or
other  plants  and  he may plan and execute appropriate methods for such
eradication.
  The commissioner shall have access to all apiaries, structures, appli-
ances or premises where bees or honey or comb used in apiaries  may  be.
He may open any hive, colony, package or receptacle of any kind contain-
ing  or  which  he  has  reason  to believe contains any bees, comb, bee
products, used beekeeping appliances, or anything else which is  capable
of  transmitting  contagious  or infectious diseases of bees or which is
capable of harboring insects or parasitic organisms adversely  affecting
bees, or species or subspecies of bees which have been determined by him

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD14954-02-9
              

S. 6271                             2

to  cause  injury,  directly  or  indirectly, to this state's useful bee
population, crops, or other plants.
  [The  commissioner  may  cause  surveys  of beekeepers and apiary yard
locations within the state to be conducted for the purpose of  assessing
the  size  and  condition  of  the  state's  honeybee  population.  When
requested by the commissioner, beekeepers shall disclose the location of
their apiary yards and provide any other information required  for  such
surveys.  Department records containing information relating to beekeep-
ers including, but not limited  to,  apiary  yard  locations,  shall  be
exempt  from  disclosure  to the extent authorized by article six of the
public officers law.  Each  beekeeper  shall  obtain  an  identification
number  from  the  department  and  post such identification number in a
conspicuous place at each apiary yard location.]
  S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.