H-1818.2  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 2049

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1997 Regular Session

By Representatives Chandler and Clements

Read first time 02/18/97.  Referred to Committee on Agriculture & Ecology.

Funding research on diseases and pests that threaten bees.

    AN ACT Relating to research on diseases and pests that threaten the apiary industry; amending RCW 15.60.040; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  The legislature finds that the vitality of the apiary industry is crucial to the vitality of the agricultural industry.  It further finds that the infestation of bees with mites has become a major threat to the survival of the apiary industry and that, of the services that can be provided to the industry, research into means of controlling, eradicating, or responding to such infestations or controlling the spread of such infestations is the highest priority.  Therefore, the legislature directs that moneys from the industry apiary program account in the agricultural local fund be used by the state's land grant university to conduct research regarding the diseases and pests of bees.  The legislature declares that, until the threat to bees posed by mites is greatly reduced, moneys from the account other than revenues from fees charged for requested services shall be directed exclusively to research regarding such mite infestations.

    Sec. 2.  RCW 15.60.040 and 1994 c 178 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) There is hereby established a fee on the use, by growers of agricultural crops, of bee pollination services provided by others.  This pollination service fee is in the amount of fifty cents for each setting of each hive containing a colony that is used by the grower.  The fee shall be paid by the grower using the service, shall be collected by the beekeeper providing the service, and shall be remitted by the beekeeper to the department as provided by rules adopted by the director.  All such fees shall be deposited in the industry apiary program account.  Revenues from fees for requested services shall be used by the director to reimburse the department for providing the services.  Revenues from ((these)) all other fees and assessments collected under this chapter shall be ((directed to use in providing services to the apiary industry that assist in ensuring)) used to fund research regarding diseases and pests of bees that threaten the vitality and availability of bees for commercial pollination services for the agricultural industry.

    (2) There is established an industry apiary program account within the agricultural local fund.  All money collected under this chapter including fees for requested services, required inspections, or treatments, registration fees, and apiary assessments shall be placed in the industry apiary program account.  Money in the account may only be used ((to carry out the purposes of this chapter)) as described in subsection (1) of this section.  No appropriation is required for disbursement from the industry apiary program account.  At the beginning of each fiscal year, the director shall disburse to Washington State University for the conduct of research regarding diseases and pests of bees the moneys in the industry apiary program account on the last day of the previous fiscal year and derived from fees and assessments other than those paid for requested service.

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