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HB 501
As Passed by House

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Am. H. B. No. 501 As Passed by the House

As Passed by the House

127th General Assembly

Regular Session

2007-2008

Am. H. B. No. 501

Representatives Okey, Stebelton

Cosponsors: Representatives DeGeeter, Sayre, Brown, Brady, Luckie, Setzer, Williams, B., Yuko, Yates, Hite, Dodd, Budish, Skindell, Evans, McGregor, J., Dyer, Szollosi, Foley, Bolon, Schlichter, Gibbs, Aslanides, Zehringer, Reinhard, Goodwin, Newcomb, Domenick, Heard, Adams, Bacon, Batchelder, Beatty, Blessing, Boyd, Celeste, Chandler, Ciafardini, Combs, Daniels, DeBose, Fende, Flowers, Garrison, Gerberry, Hagan, J., Hagan, R., Harwood, Heydinger, Hottinger, Huffman, Hughes, Koziura, Letson, Lundy, Mallory, Nero, Oelslager, Otterman, J., Patton, Peterson, Schneider, Slesnick, Stewart, D., Stewart, J., Strahorn, Uecker, Ujvagi, Wachtmann

A BILL

To create the Ohio Beekeepers Task Force.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

Section 1. (A) There is hereby created in the Department of Agriculture the Ohio Beekeepers Task Force consisting of the following members:

(1) Two members of the House of Representatives Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee appointed by the Governor, each from a different political party;

(2) Two members of the Senate Agriculture Committee appointed by the Governor, each from a different political party;

(3) The Chief of the Division of Plant Industry in the Department of Agriculture or the Chief's designee;

(4) The Director of Natural Resources or the Director's designee;

(5) Two representatives of the Ohio State Beekeepers Association appointed by the Association;

(6) The Director of The Ohio State University Extension or the Director's designee;

(7) An apiculture specialist of The Ohio State University Extension appointed by the Director of The Ohio State University Extension;

(8) The Chair of The Ohio State University Department of Entomology or the Chair's designee;

(9) A representative of the Ohio Produce Growers and Marketing Association appointed by the Association;

(10) A representative of the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation Bee and Honey Committee appointed by the Federation;

(11) A representative of the Ohio Farmers Union appointed by the Union;

(12) A representative of the County Commissioners Association of Ohio appointed by the Association.

(B) The members shall be appointed not later than sixty days after the effective date of this section. The Task Force shall hold its first meeting not later than ninety days after the effective date of this section.

(C) The Governor shall select a chairperson and vice-chairperson from among the members of the Task Force. The chairperson may appoint a secretary.

(D) The members of the Task Force shall receive no compensation for their services.

(E) Not later than ten months after the effective date of this section, the Ohio Beekeepers Task Force shall submit a report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Ohio State Beekeepers Association. The report shall do all of the following:

(1) Provide an overview of the characteristics of the honeybee crisis in Ohio;

(2) Examine and provide an overview of and conclusions regarding whether pollinator shortages are affecting crop pollination in Ohio;

(3) Review and provide an overview of the Ohio Honeybee Emergency Action Plan;

(4) Review and provide a summary of the federal initiatives regarding Ohio's bee population and of all of the Department of Agriculture's and the Ohio State Beekeepers Association's programs concerning Ohio's bee population;

(5) Provide an overview of the five-year goals of the Department of Agriculture concerning honeybees, including recommendations for the restoration of Ohio's bee population;

(6) Examine and describe the funding that is available for honeybee programs and issues affecting honeybees;

(7) Any other issues that the Task Force considers appropriate.

(F) Not later than ninety days following the submission of the report, the Task Force shall meet and respond to any question from a person who received the report. The Task Force shall cease to exist upon submitting its response to all questions from persons who received the report.