MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2014 Regular Session
To: Agriculture
By: Representative Morgan
AN ACT TO PROHIBIT ANY MUNICIPALITY, TOWNSHIP, CITY, COUNTY OR POLITICAL SUBDIVISION THEREOF FROM ENACTING ANY RESTRICTIVE ORDINANCES OR COVENANTS THAT LIMIT OR PROHIBIT ANY APIARIST OR BEEKEEPER FROM OPERATING COLONIES OF HONEYBEES IN SAID AREAS, PROVIDED THAT THE INDIVIDUAL IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF SECTION 69-25-101; TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 69-25-101, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, FOR PURPOSES OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. No municipality, township, city, county or political subdivision thereof shall enact any restrictive ordinances or covenants that limit or prohibit any apiarist or beekeeper from operating colonies of honeybees in that municipality, township, city, county or political subdivision thereof, is in compliance with the provisions of Section 69-25-101.
SECTION 2. Section 69-25-101, Mississippi Code of 1972, is brought forward as follows:
69-25-101. All honey bees shipped or moved into the State of Mississippi shall be accompanied by a certificate of inspection signed by the State Entomologist, State Apiary Inspector or corresponding official of the state or country from which such bees are shipped or moved. Such certificate shall certify to the apparent freedom of the bees and their combs and hives, from contagious and infectious diseases and parasites and must be based upon an actual inspection of the bees themselves within a period of sixty (60) days preceding the date of shipment; provided, that when honey bees are to be shipped into this state from other states or countries wherein no official apiary inspector or State Entomologist is available, the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce may issue permit for such shipment upon presentation of suitable evidence showing such bees to be free from disease. The provisions of this section shall not apply to shipments of live bees in wire cages, when without combs of honey.
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2014.