California Assembly Bill AB1259 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 1259AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 29, 2015 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 26, 2015 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Levine FEBRUARY 27, 2015 An act to amend Section 1745.2 of the Fish and Game Code, relating to bees ,   and declaring the urgency t   hereof, to take effect immediately  . LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1259, as amended, Levine. Bees: apiculture: state-owned lands. Existing law requires the Department of Fish and Wildlife to consider permitting apiculture on department-managed wildlife areas.  Existing law requires the department, when developing or amending its land management plans, to make certain determinations relating to the use of the department-managed wildlife areas for apiculture.  This bill would instead require the department to consider authorizing apiculture on department-managed wildlife areas. The bill would authorize the department to authorize the temporary placement of bee hives on department-managed wildlife areas through simple agreements specifying appropriate conditions. The bill would provide that these agreements are not contracts or leases for purposes of competitive bidding provisions and other provisions relating to public contracts in the Public Contract Code and the Government Code. The bill would authorize the department to continue any authorization for apiculture on department-managed lands that it granted before January 1, 2015, without taking further action.  This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.  Vote: majority   2/3  . Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares as follows: (a) Bees and other pollinators are critical to agricultural production and native ecosystems. Bees pollinate billions of dollars of agricultural crops in the United States, including many of California's most important agricultural crops. (b) Bees are at significant risk of harm due to a condition known as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). In the United States alone, more than 25 percent of the managed bee population has disappeared since 1990 and the number of hives is at its lowest number in 50 years. CCD and the loss of bees is a significant threat to our state and national food supply and economic security. (c) A viable and productive honeybee industry is dependent on access to private and public lands to secure nectar and pollen resources for nutritional foraging opportunities. (d) There is a need for a streamlined and efficient method to provide access to public lands for California beekeepers to ensure that they have adequate foraging grounds for their bees. (e) The Legislature's intended purpose in enacting Section 1745.2 of the Fish and Game Code  is   was  to increase apiculture bee foraging opportunities on state lands managed by the Department of Fish and Wildlife, and not to affect existing apiary sites on department-managed lands previously approved for apiculture use. (f) Due to the unique regional and seasonal nature of apiculture, the public interest will be best served by authorizing such uses on department-managed lands without competitive bidding. SEC. 2. Section 1745.2 of the Fish and Game Code is amended to read: 1745.2. (a) The department shall do both of the following: (1) Consider authorizing apiculture on department-managed wildlife areas, where deemed appropriate by the department. (2) Determine, when developing or amending its land management plans, the following: (A) If the department-managed wildlife areas, or any portion of the those areas, are suitable for apiculture and whether apiculture is consistent with the management goals and objectives for those areas on a temporary, seasonal, or long-term basis. (B) If the administration of apiculture on department-managed wildlife areas, where deemed appropriate by the department, is meeting the management goals and objectives for those areas. (C) The appropriate fee to be assessed for conducting apiculture on department-managed wildlife areas. (b) The department, in implementing this section, may consult with apiculture experts, including, but not limited to, the Department of Food and Agriculture, the University of California, other academic or professional experts, and interested stakeholders, when considering authorizing apiculture on department-managed wildlife areas consistent with the respective management goals and objectives for those areas. (c) Moneys collected for conducting apiculture on department-managed wildlife areas pursuant to subparagraph (C) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) shall be deposited by the department into the Wildlife Restoration Fund and, upon appropriation by the Legislature, be used to support the management, maintenance, restoration, and operation of department-managed wildlife areas. (d) The department may authorize the temporary placement of bee hives on department-managed wildlife areas through simple agreements specifying appropriate conditions. These agreements are not contracts or leases for purposes of competitive bidding provisions and other provisions relating to public contracts in the Public Contract Code and Government Code. (e) The department may continue any authorization for apiculture on department-managed areas that it granted before January 1,  2015   2015,  without taking further action.  SEC. 3.   This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are:   In order for beekeepers, who relied on and are dependent on prior approval from the Department of Fish and Wildlife, to place their bee hives on department-managed lands for seasonal foraging purposes, it is necessary for this act to take effect immediately.