S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
8704
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
October 23, 2019
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Introduced by M. of A. THIELE -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Agriculture
AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to the
preservation of honey bee colonies
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a new
article 15-B to read as follows:
ARTICLE 15-B
PRESERVATION OF HONEY BEE COLONIES
SECTION 175-V. RELOCATING HONEY BEE COLONIES.
§ 175-V. RELOCATING HONEY BEE COLONIES. 1. TO PRESERVE HONEY BEE COLO-
NIES IN THE STATE, ANY PERSON INCLUDING CERTIFIED AND LICENSED RESPONSI-
BLE PESTICIDE APPLICATORS AND COMMERCIAL PESTICIDE APPLICATORS AND OPER-
ATORS OPERATING IN THE STATE SHALL CONTACT THE DIVISION OF PLANT
INDUSTRY OF THE DEPARTMENT BY PHONE AT LEAST TWENTY-FOUR HOURS IN
ADVANCE OF EXTERMINATION OF HONEY BEES TO OBTAIN ASSISTANCE IN TRYING TO
RELOCATE NUISANCE HONEY BEE COLONIES OR HANGING SWARMS OF HONEY BEES, IN
LIEU OF DESTROYING SUCH HONEY BEES. HONEY BEES SHALL NOT BE DESTROYED
WITHOUT PRIOR APPROVAL FROM SUCH DIVISION.
2. IN THE EVENT THE DIVISION OF PLANT INDUSTRY IS NOT REACHABLE, ANY
PERSON INCLUDING CERTIFIED AND LICENSED RESPONSIBLE PESTICIDE APPLICA-
TORS AND COMMERCIAL PESTICIDE APPLICATORS AND OPERATORS SHALL ATTEMPT TO
CONTACT NO FEWER THAN THREE BEEKEEPERS IDENTIFIED BY THE LOCAL BEEKEEP-
ING ASSOCIATION FOUND ON THE DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE AS SWARM COLLECTORS
SERVICING THE AFFECTED COUNTY, IN ORDER TO OBTAIN ASSISTANCE IN RELOCAT-
ING NUISANCE HONEY BEE COLONIES OR HANGING SWARMS BEFORE NUISANCE HONEY
BEE COLONIES OR HANGING SWARMS OF HONEY BEES MAY BE DESTROYED.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately. Effective immediately,
the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation neces-
sary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are
authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13902-02-9