BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2185
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 30, 2014
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE
Susan Talamantes Eggman, Chair
AB 2185 (Eggman) - As Amended: April 23, 2014
SUBJECT : Bees: foraging: state-owned lands.
SUMMARY : Creates a new policy for the Department of Fish and
Wildlife (DFW) and the Department of Transportation (CalTrans) to
encourage apiculture (beekeeping) on their respective state-owned
lands. Specifically, this bill :
1)Makes legislative findings regarding the challenges and needs of
the honeybee industry, and states that the Legislature recognizes
the importance of the honeybee industry and seeks to encourage and
support bee foraging on public lands.
2)Requires that the policy of DFW and CalTrans is to encourage
apiculture (beekeeping) on lands they respectively manage;
requires DFW and CalTrans, when developing or amending land use
plans or on idle or right-of-way lands, to do the following:
a) Maximize the coexistence and minimize the conflict between
beekeeping and other public land uses, values, and public
safety;
b) Establish an efficient, effective and uniform management and
administrative system for beekeeping on public lands; and,
c) Ensure the state receives appropriate compensation for the
use of state-owned lands.
3)Requires the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA),
to the extent possible, assist DFW and CalTrans to accomplish
beekeeping access on their respective state-owned lands.
EXISTING LAW requires DFW to develop management plans for various
fisheries, wildlife and habitats; for parcels wholly within its
jurisdiction, and subject to an appropriation of funds by the
Legislature for that purpose, DFW is required to prepare draft
management plans for public review within 18 months of the
acquisition date; requires public participation in the development
of a management plan, and reasonably reduces possible conflicts with
neighboring land use and landowners, including agriculturists; and,
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plans must comply with the California Environmental Quality Act.
Permits DFW, notwithstanding any other provision of its code, to
lease DFW-managed lands for agricultural activities, including, but
not limited to, grazing, where consistent with the purpose for which
the lands were acquired, and are compatible with the DFW's approved
management plan for that area. Moneys collected from agricultural
leases entered into shall be deposited into the Wildlife Restoration
Fund and, upon appropriation by the Legislature, may be used to
support the management, maintenance, restoration, and operations of
DFW-managed lands.
CalTrans may lease to public agencies or private entities, for any
term not to exceed 99 years, the use of areas above or below state
highways, subject to any reservations, restrictions, and conditions
that it deems necessary to ensure adequate protection to the safety
and the adequacy of highway facilities and to abutting or adjacent
land uses; requires CalTrans, prior to entering into any lease, to
determine that the proposed use is not in conflict with the zoning
regulations of the local government concerned; requires leases be
made in accordance with procedures prescribed by the commission,
except that, in the case of leases with private entities, the leases
shall only be made after competitive bidding, unless the commission
finds, by unanimous vote, that in certain cases competitive bidding
would not be in the best interests of the state; and, revenues from
the leases shall be deposited into the State Highway Account.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown. Legislative Counsel has keyed this bill
fiscal.
COMMENTS : Bee populations have been declining for many years due to
multiple causes, and when they are combined, it appears to create a
potential catastrophic impact, which has become known as Colony
Collapse Disorder (CCD). It is estimated that since 2006, one-third
of our nation's bees have been lost, on average, each year, to CCD.
Researchers in California are trying to find an assortment of
bee-friendly plants that farmers and ranchers can easily grow in
unusable corners of land or on government support set aside lands.
Bees can forage up to four miles for food and water.
This committee held a joint informational hearing on "Bee Colony
Collapse Disorder" with the Assembly Committee on Environmental
Safety and Toxic Materials in October 2013. Bees are essential for
the pollination of many native plants, as well as, commercial crops.
The bee industry's economic base has shifted from honey production
to pollination, with beekeepers traveling the nation to supply bees
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to pollinate commercial crops such as almonds. From testimony
presented at that hearing, the need for additional foraging lands
for beekeepers was one of the principal needs to assist in keeping a
healthy bee population in California. With California being in a
severe drought, and the significant reduction in acreage planted
this year, bee foraging opportunities will be a greater challenge.
AB 2185 is an effort to create more foraging opportunities for
California beekeepers by directing two state entities to encourage
beekeeping on the lands they control, to the extent of meeting their
management objectives. The author's objective is to provide access
to state lands for the purpose of bee foraging.
During the development of DFW area management plans, the public does
have the opportunity for input, but due to the bee industry being
small, they do not have the wherewithal to comment on plans up and
down the state. CDFA's assistance could help these departments in
identifying properties, creating appropriate plans, and
reimbursement schedules for the placement of bee hives.
There are concerns that, due to proposed pesticide label changes,
the placement of bee hives in proximity to certain crops may
restrict the farmers' options for the treatment of certain pests.
The committee may wish to clarify that placement of bees should not
impact normal agricultural practices on properties surrounding the
placement locations.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
Pesticide Action Network, North America
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Jim Collin / AGRI. / (916) 319-2084