HB115: Deregulating Beekeeping in the Beehive State

This bill was not considered by the legislature.

Libertas Institute supports this bill.

Currently, Utah law prohibits beekeeping unless the individual first registers with, and pays, the state government. This mandate has led many beekeepers to “go underground” by defying the requirement and doing it without the government’s permission or knowledge.

House Bill 115, sponsored by Representative Marc Roberts, proposes eliminating the mandatory registration requirement, replacing it with a voluntary option for those who wish to receive services from the Department of Agriculture and Food.

The bill also:

• requires county bee inspectors to submit records of their inspections to the Department
• requires county bee inspectors to notice an apiary owner prior to inspect it upon complaint that the apiary is infected
• removes the authority for county bee inspectors to obtain a warrant to gain access to property where admittance has been refused
• prohibits cities from outlawing the ownership and operation of a beehive on an owner’s property

In essence, this bill largely deregulates beekeeping, allowing property owners to engage freely in the market and participate in a natural process without being on a government list and paying fees. As such, we support the proposed legislation.