Hillbilly Jim
03-19-2019, 01:52 AM
UNOFFICIAL COPY:
THE BEE LAW
The following is an unofficial copy of the Bee Law (Act of December 12, 1994, P.L.
903, No. 131)(3 Pa.C.S.A. ?? 2101 ? 2117).
The document reflects the current version of this statute. It is "unofficial" because it
has been retyped. Any discrepancies between this document and the official statute shall
be resolved in favor of the official statute. This document has been prepared by the
Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Plant Industry.
Section numbers refer to the corresponding section in Title 3 of the Pennsylvania
consolidated Statutes, Annotated (3 Pa.C.S.A.)
************************************************** **********************
? 2101. Short title of chapter
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the Bee Law.
? 2102. Definitions
The following words and phrases when used in this chapter shall have the meanings
given to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Apiary." Any place where one or more colonies or nuclei of bees are kept.
"Apiary yard." A fixed location or locations in this Commonwealth where an apiary is
maintained on a continuing basis from which hives may be moved to temporary locations
for crop pollination and returned.
"Appliance." Any apparatus, tool, machine or other device used in the handling and
manipulating of bees, honey, wax and hives and any container of honey and wax which
may be used in any apiary or in transporting bees and their products and apiary supplies.
"Bee." Any stage of the common hive or honeybee (Apis mellifera) or other species of
the genus Apis.
"Bee disease." Any American or European foul brood, sac brood, bee paralysis or
other disease or abnormal condition of eggs, larval, pupal or adult stages of the honeybee.
"Bureau." The Bureau of Plant Industry of the Department of Agriculture.
2
"Hive." Any frame hive, box hive, box, barrel, log, gum, skep or other receptacle or
container, natural or artificial, or any part thereof, which may be used or employed as a
domicile for bees.
"Owner of an apiary." Includes all colonies owned by an individual and located in
any permanent location or locations within this Commonwealth.
"Queen apiary." Any apiary or premises in which queen bees are reared or kept for
sale or gift.
"Violation." A violation of this chapter or any order or regulation promulgated under
this chapter.
? 2103. Chief apiary inspector
The secretary shall appoint a chief apiary inspector to be in charge of all apiary
inspections and shall appoint such additional apiary inspectors as may be necessary. The
inspectors shall be attached to the bureau and shall be furnished with official badges or
other insignia of authority. The secretary and the bureau are charged with the
enforcement of the provisions of this chapter.
? 2104. Quarantines
The department may establish, modify and maintain such quarantines as may be
necessary to control the shipment into or within this Commonwealth of any bees, queen
bees, hives or appliances capable of transmitting any bee disease for such periods and
under such conditions as may be necessary in order to control and eradicate any bee
disease or to prevent its introduction, spread or dissemination in this Commonwealth and
for such purposes may make and promulgate such rules, regulations and orders relating
thereto and to the general enforcement of the provisions of this chapter
3
(4) Such other information as the department may require.
(c) Fee.-- The apiary registration fee shall be $ 10 for each applicant. No fee shall be
charged for temporary relocation of a hive or hives for crop pollination from an apiary
yard properly registered as an apiary under this chapter.
(d) Registration term.-- A registration under this section shall be valid for a period of
not more than two calendar years and shall expire on December 31 of the year following
the initial year of registration.
(e) Relocation.-- The department may by regulation require apiary owners to report
the relocation of an apiary from its original location as reported at the time of registration
to another location in this Commonwealth. The owner of an apiary yard which is properly
registered as an apiary under this chapter shall not be required to report the temporary
relocation of a hive or hives for crop pollination as long as proper records of hive
locations are maintained by the owner at a location available to the department for
inspection
? 2106. Inspection
The department through the inspectors shall at least twice during each summer season,
inspect all queen apiaries. If from the inspection it appears that any bee disease exists in
the queen apiary, the apiary inspector making the inspection shall immediately notify in
writing the owner or person in charge thereof, and thereafter it shall be unlawful for that
person to ship, sell or give away any queen bees from the apiary until the disease has
been destroyed and a certificate of that fact has been obtained from the chief inspector. If
upon inspection it is found that no bee disease exists in the queen apiary, the chief
inspector shall issue a certificate of that fact and a copy of the certificate shall be attached
to each package or shipment of queen bees transported from the apiary. The certificate
shall be valid for one year from the date of its issue unless revoked for cause.
? 2107. Diseases
(a) General rule.-- The department through the inspectors shall, as far as practicable,
inspect all apiaries in this Commonwealth. If upon inspection it is found that any bee
disease exists in the apiary, the inspector making the inspection shall immediately notify
in writing the owner or person in charge of the apiary, stating the nature of the disease
and whether the disease may or may not be successfully treated. If the disease may be
successfully treated, the inspector shall specify and direct the necessary treatment, which
shall be administered by the owner or person in charge within 14 days.
(b) Service of notices.-- The written notice required by section 2106 (relating to
inspection) and this section may be served by handing a copy thereof to the owner or
person in charge of the apiary or by leaving a copy thereof with an adult person residing
upon the premises or by registered mail addressed to the owner or person in charge of the
apiary at his last known or reputed address.
? 2108. Infected shipments
4
Infected shipments, apiaries where the existing disease cannot be successfully treated
and apiaries which are affected by disease amenable to treatment but which have not been
treated within a period of 14 days after the owner thereof has received notice of the
necessary treatment are hereby declared to be a public nuisance and a menace to the
community, and the director of the bureau or his authorized agent may destroy by
burning or otherwise, without any remuneration to the owner, any infected bees, hives,
honey or appliances found therein.
? 2109. Prohibitions
(a) Infected colonies, hives or appliances.-- No person shall knowingly keep in his
possession without proper treatment any colony of bees affected with any bee disease or
expose any diseased colony or infected hive or appliance so that flying bees may have
access to them.
(b) Infected bees.-- No person shall sell, barter or give away, accept, receive or
transport any bees affected with any bee disease.
(c) Hives.-- No person shall keep or maintain honeybees in any hive other than a
modern movable frame hive which permits thorough examination of every comb to
determine the presence of bee disease. All other types of hives or receptacles for bees
which are in use are hereby declared to be a public nuisance and a menace to the
community, and the secretary, the chief apiary inspector or any apiary inspector may
seize and destroy the hive or receptacle without remuneration to the owner.
? 2110. Free access
The department, the chief apiary inspector and any apiary inspector shall have free
access, ingress and egress to and from any apiary, premises, building or other place,
public or private, in which bees, queen bees, wax, honey, hives or appliances may be kept
or stored. No person shall deny to such duly authorized officer or agent access to any
such place or hinder or resist the inspection of the premises.
? 2111. Transportation
No person shall transport bees, hives or appliances into this Commonwealth unless
they are accompanied with a certificate of inspection signed by the chief apiary inspector
or corresponding inspection official of the state or county from which the bees are being
transported. The certificate shall certify that actual inspection of the bees was made
within 30 days preceding the date of shipment and that the bees, hives and appliances
contained in the shipment are free from bee diseases. It is the duty of any officer, agent,
servant or employee of any person, firm or corporation engaged in transportation, who
shall receive a shipment of bees consigned to a point in this Commonwealth and not
having attached thereto a certificate as required, to immediately notify the department
and to hold the shipment subject to its orders for a period of 15 days.
? 2112. Imported bees
5
No person shall import any living insects belonging to the genus Apis from any
foreign country except Canada for any purpose without written permission from the
department.
? 2113. Penalties
(a) First violation.-- A first violation of this chapter or any order or regulation
promulgated under this chapter constitutes a summary offense punishable by a fine of not
less than $ 100.
(b) Second violation.-- A second violation of this chapter or any order or regulation
promulgated under this chapter constitutes a summary offense punishable by a fine of not
less than $ 300.
(c) Subsequent violations.-- A third and subsequent violation of this chapter or any
order or regulation promulgated under this chapter constitutes a misdemeanor of the third
degree punishable by a fine of not less than $ 1,000.
? 2114. Civil penalties
(a) Assessment.-- The department may assess a civil penalty of not more than $ 1,000
upon a person for each violation.
(b) Contest.-- If a civil penalty is assessed against a person under subsection (a), the
department shall notify the person by certified mail of the nature of the violation and the
amount of the civil penalty and that the person may notify the department in writing
within ten calendar days that he wishes to contest the civil penalty. If within ten calendar
days from the receipt of that notification the person does not notify the department of his
intent to contest the assessed penalty, the civil penalty shall become final.
(c) Hearing and appeal.-- If timely notification of the intent to contest the civil
penalty is given, the person contesting the civil penalty shall be provided with a hearing
in accordance with 2 Pa.C.S. Ch. 5 Subch. A (relating to practice and procedure of
Commonwealth agencies). Appeals may be taken in accordance with 2 Pa.C.S. Ch. 7
Subch. A (relating to judicial review of Commonwealth agency action).
? 2115. Injunctions
The Attorney General at the request of the department may initiate in the
Commonwealth Court or the court of common pleas of the county in which the defendant
resides or has a place of business an action in equity for an injunction to restrain any
violation of this chapter or any order or regulation promulgated under this chapter. The
Commonwealth shall not be required to furnish a bond or other security in connection
with this proceeding.
? 2116. Concurrent remedies
The penalties and remedies prescribed by this chapter are concurrent. The existence or
exercise of any remedy shall not prevent the exercise of any other remedy under this
chapter.
6
? 2117. Disposition of funds
Moneys received from registration fees, fines and civil penalties shall be paid into the
State Treasury and shall be credited to the general government operations appropriation
of the Department of Agriculture for administering the provisions of this chapter.
END
THE BEE LAW
The following is an unofficial copy of the Bee Law (Act of December 12, 1994, P.L.
903, No. 131)(3 Pa.C.S.A. ?? 2101 ? 2117).
The document reflects the current version of this statute. It is "unofficial" because it
has been retyped. Any discrepancies between this document and the official statute shall
be resolved in favor of the official statute. This document has been prepared by the
Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Plant Industry.
Section numbers refer to the corresponding section in Title 3 of the Pennsylvania
consolidated Statutes, Annotated (3 Pa.C.S.A.)
************************************************** **********************
? 2101. Short title of chapter
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the Bee Law.
? 2102. Definitions
The following words and phrases when used in this chapter shall have the meanings
given to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Apiary." Any place where one or more colonies or nuclei of bees are kept.
"Apiary yard." A fixed location or locations in this Commonwealth where an apiary is
maintained on a continuing basis from which hives may be moved to temporary locations
for crop pollination and returned.
"Appliance." Any apparatus, tool, machine or other device used in the handling and
manipulating of bees, honey, wax and hives and any container of honey and wax which
may be used in any apiary or in transporting bees and their products and apiary supplies.
"Bee." Any stage of the common hive or honeybee (Apis mellifera) or other species of
the genus Apis.
"Bee disease." Any American or European foul brood, sac brood, bee paralysis or
other disease or abnormal condition of eggs, larval, pupal or adult stages of the honeybee.
"Bureau." The Bureau of Plant Industry of the Department of Agriculture.
2
"Hive." Any frame hive, box hive, box, barrel, log, gum, skep or other receptacle or
container, natural or artificial, or any part thereof, which may be used or employed as a
domicile for bees.
"Owner of an apiary." Includes all colonies owned by an individual and located in
any permanent location or locations within this Commonwealth.
"Queen apiary." Any apiary or premises in which queen bees are reared or kept for
sale or gift.
"Violation." A violation of this chapter or any order or regulation promulgated under
this chapter.
? 2103. Chief apiary inspector
The secretary shall appoint a chief apiary inspector to be in charge of all apiary
inspections and shall appoint such additional apiary inspectors as may be necessary. The
inspectors shall be attached to the bureau and shall be furnished with official badges or
other insignia of authority. The secretary and the bureau are charged with the
enforcement of the provisions of this chapter.
? 2104. Quarantines
The department may establish, modify and maintain such quarantines as may be
necessary to control the shipment into or within this Commonwealth of any bees, queen
bees, hives or appliances capable of transmitting any bee disease for such periods and
under such conditions as may be necessary in order to control and eradicate any bee
disease or to prevent its introduction, spread or dissemination in this Commonwealth and
for such purposes may make and promulgate such rules, regulations and orders relating
thereto and to the general enforcement of the provisions of this chapter
3
(4) Such other information as the department may require.
(c) Fee.-- The apiary registration fee shall be $ 10 for each applicant. No fee shall be
charged for temporary relocation of a hive or hives for crop pollination from an apiary
yard properly registered as an apiary under this chapter.
(d) Registration term.-- A registration under this section shall be valid for a period of
not more than two calendar years and shall expire on December 31 of the year following
the initial year of registration.
(e) Relocation.-- The department may by regulation require apiary owners to report
the relocation of an apiary from its original location as reported at the time of registration
to another location in this Commonwealth. The owner of an apiary yard which is properly
registered as an apiary under this chapter shall not be required to report the temporary
relocation of a hive or hives for crop pollination as long as proper records of hive
locations are maintained by the owner at a location available to the department for
inspection
? 2106. Inspection
The department through the inspectors shall at least twice during each summer season,
inspect all queen apiaries. If from the inspection it appears that any bee disease exists in
the queen apiary, the apiary inspector making the inspection shall immediately notify in
writing the owner or person in charge thereof, and thereafter it shall be unlawful for that
person to ship, sell or give away any queen bees from the apiary until the disease has
been destroyed and a certificate of that fact has been obtained from the chief inspector. If
upon inspection it is found that no bee disease exists in the queen apiary, the chief
inspector shall issue a certificate of that fact and a copy of the certificate shall be attached
to each package or shipment of queen bees transported from the apiary. The certificate
shall be valid for one year from the date of its issue unless revoked for cause.
? 2107. Diseases
(a) General rule.-- The department through the inspectors shall, as far as practicable,
inspect all apiaries in this Commonwealth. If upon inspection it is found that any bee
disease exists in the apiary, the inspector making the inspection shall immediately notify
in writing the owner or person in charge of the apiary, stating the nature of the disease
and whether the disease may or may not be successfully treated. If the disease may be
successfully treated, the inspector shall specify and direct the necessary treatment, which
shall be administered by the owner or person in charge within 14 days.
(b) Service of notices.-- The written notice required by section 2106 (relating to
inspection) and this section may be served by handing a copy thereof to the owner or
person in charge of the apiary or by leaving a copy thereof with an adult person residing
upon the premises or by registered mail addressed to the owner or person in charge of the
apiary at his last known or reputed address.
? 2108. Infected shipments
4
Infected shipments, apiaries where the existing disease cannot be successfully treated
and apiaries which are affected by disease amenable to treatment but which have not been
treated within a period of 14 days after the owner thereof has received notice of the
necessary treatment are hereby declared to be a public nuisance and a menace to the
community, and the director of the bureau or his authorized agent may destroy by
burning or otherwise, without any remuneration to the owner, any infected bees, hives,
honey or appliances found therein.
? 2109. Prohibitions
(a) Infected colonies, hives or appliances.-- No person shall knowingly keep in his
possession without proper treatment any colony of bees affected with any bee disease or
expose any diseased colony or infected hive or appliance so that flying bees may have
access to them.
(b) Infected bees.-- No person shall sell, barter or give away, accept, receive or
transport any bees affected with any bee disease.
(c) Hives.-- No person shall keep or maintain honeybees in any hive other than a
modern movable frame hive which permits thorough examination of every comb to
determine the presence of bee disease. All other types of hives or receptacles for bees
which are in use are hereby declared to be a public nuisance and a menace to the
community, and the secretary, the chief apiary inspector or any apiary inspector may
seize and destroy the hive or receptacle without remuneration to the owner.
? 2110. Free access
The department, the chief apiary inspector and any apiary inspector shall have free
access, ingress and egress to and from any apiary, premises, building or other place,
public or private, in which bees, queen bees, wax, honey, hives or appliances may be kept
or stored. No person shall deny to such duly authorized officer or agent access to any
such place or hinder or resist the inspection of the premises.
? 2111. Transportation
No person shall transport bees, hives or appliances into this Commonwealth unless
they are accompanied with a certificate of inspection signed by the chief apiary inspector
or corresponding inspection official of the state or county from which the bees are being
transported. The certificate shall certify that actual inspection of the bees was made
within 30 days preceding the date of shipment and that the bees, hives and appliances
contained in the shipment are free from bee diseases. It is the duty of any officer, agent,
servant or employee of any person, firm or corporation engaged in transportation, who
shall receive a shipment of bees consigned to a point in this Commonwealth and not
having attached thereto a certificate as required, to immediately notify the department
and to hold the shipment subject to its orders for a period of 15 days.
? 2112. Imported bees
5
No person shall import any living insects belonging to the genus Apis from any
foreign country except Canada for any purpose without written permission from the
department.
? 2113. Penalties
(a) First violation.-- A first violation of this chapter or any order or regulation
promulgated under this chapter constitutes a summary offense punishable by a fine of not
less than $ 100.
(b) Second violation.-- A second violation of this chapter or any order or regulation
promulgated under this chapter constitutes a summary offense punishable by a fine of not
less than $ 300.
(c) Subsequent violations.-- A third and subsequent violation of this chapter or any
order or regulation promulgated under this chapter constitutes a misdemeanor of the third
degree punishable by a fine of not less than $ 1,000.
? 2114. Civil penalties
(a) Assessment.-- The department may assess a civil penalty of not more than $ 1,000
upon a person for each violation.
(b) Contest.-- If a civil penalty is assessed against a person under subsection (a), the
department shall notify the person by certified mail of the nature of the violation and the
amount of the civil penalty and that the person may notify the department in writing
within ten calendar days that he wishes to contest the civil penalty. If within ten calendar
days from the receipt of that notification the person does not notify the department of his
intent to contest the assessed penalty, the civil penalty shall become final.
(c) Hearing and appeal.-- If timely notification of the intent to contest the civil
penalty is given, the person contesting the civil penalty shall be provided with a hearing
in accordance with 2 Pa.C.S. Ch. 5 Subch. A (relating to practice and procedure of
Commonwealth agencies). Appeals may be taken in accordance with 2 Pa.C.S. Ch. 7
Subch. A (relating to judicial review of Commonwealth agency action).
? 2115. Injunctions
The Attorney General at the request of the department may initiate in the
Commonwealth Court or the court of common pleas of the county in which the defendant
resides or has a place of business an action in equity for an injunction to restrain any
violation of this chapter or any order or regulation promulgated under this chapter. The
Commonwealth shall not be required to furnish a bond or other security in connection
with this proceeding.
? 2116. Concurrent remedies
The penalties and remedies prescribed by this chapter are concurrent. The existence or
exercise of any remedy shall not prevent the exercise of any other remedy under this
chapter.
6
? 2117. Disposition of funds
Moneys received from registration fees, fines and civil penalties shall be paid into the
State Treasury and shall be credited to the general government operations appropriation
of the Department of Agriculture for administering the provisions of this chapter.
END