June 3, 2026 · Agriculture Committee · 3,358 words · 9 speakers · 58 segments
Full committee. The minutes from the May 20th meeting are on your iPad. Any additions, corrections, or objections? Without objection, the minutes are approved. Okay, we are going a little bit out of order, and we are starting on House Bill 733, and I will call that for its third hearing. My office has not received any testimony regarding this bill. Is there anyone that would like to provide testimony on 733?
Saying none, I now recognize Representative Newman for a motion. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I motion to favorably report House Bill 733 as amended and recommended for passage.
Would the clerk please call the roll? Chair Kloppenstein?
Yes.
Vice Chair Newman?
Yes.
Representative Cochley?
Yes.
Representative Creech?
Yes.
Representative Heiner?
Yes.
Representative Schmidt?
Yes.
Representative Sims?
Yes.
Hearing or having a 7-0 vote, The motion passes. The roll will remain open until 2 o'clock today. Also a bit of housekeeping. We have a new ranking member here today, Representative Cochley.
Welcome. Thank you.
Next up on our agenda is House Bill 9-11. And I would like to call Representative Miller to offer sponsor testimony. Welcome to Ag Committee. Proceed when you're ready.
Thank you so much. This is my first time providing testimony in your committee. Chair Kloppenstein, Vice Chair Newman, and Ranking Member Cochley, and members of the House Agriculture Committee, I'd like to thank you for the opportunity to provide sponsored testimony on House Bill 9-11, legislation to update Ohio's apiary registration and placement requirements to better protect Ohio's beekeeping industry and ensure compliance with existing state law. I often say that some of the best legislation begins when we listen to the people we represent. House Bill 9-11 is one of those bills. This legislation was brought to me by beekeepers in my district who have experienced a growing challenge over the past several years. What started as conversations among local beekeepers soon became a reoccurring concern that was creating tension within the industry and raising questions about the effectiveness of Ohio's current apiary laws. In fact, I wanted to understand these concerns firsthand. I had the opportunity to visit one of the apiary sites. I suited up and spent time with local beekeepers as they walked me through their operations. I learned quickly that beekeeping is not for the faint of heart. I do have pictures to prove it, that I was suited up. But I also gained a much deeper appreciation for the tremendous investment of time, resources, and expertise that goes into maintaining healthy colonies. And these conversations helped shape House Bill 9-11 and reinforced the need for Ohio to address an issue that has been quietly buzzing among commercial beekeepers for quite some time. The Ohio Department of Agriculture reports that more than 6,500 registered beekeepers maintain over 56,000 colonies throughout our great state. These apiaries play a critical role in supporting Ohio agriculture through crop pollination, honey production, and the maintenance of healthy pollinator populations. Current Ohio law requires apiary registration and provides temporary allowances for bees placed for the active pollination of flowering or blooming crops. However, concerns raised by commercial beekeepers have highlighted gaps in compliance and enforcement that can create challenges for colony health, hive productivity, and fair access to forage resources. Specifically, some individuals are establishing larger apiaries near existing registered commercial operations without obtaining permission or properly registering those locations after temporary pollination exemptions expire. When too many colonies are concentrated in a small area, bees compete for the same nectar and pollen sources. The result can be reduced honey production, increased colony stress, and a greater risk of spreading pests and diseases between the hives. Simply put, what should be a sweet partnership within Ohio's beekeeping community can become much more difficult when established standards are not being followed. House Bill 9-11 addresses these concerns by clarifying and modernizing Ohio law. Under current law, Ohio apiaries used for active pollination may be temporarily placed up to 30 days before a registration is expired or required. This bill preserves that flexibility while also establishing clearer expectations for what happens when that temporary period expires. House Bill 9-11 would prohibit a person from establishing a new commercial apiary within three miles of an existing registered commercial apiary unless permission is obtained from the existing registered commercial beekeeper The bill does preserve important exemptions for landowners maintaining bees on their own property smaller apiaries that have less than 10 hives and owned by beekeepers with fewer than 40 total hives statewide, and then temporary pollination apiaries are actively servicing flowering or blooming crops during the 30-day exemption period. Apiaries established with written permission from the nearby registered commercial beekeepers are also exempt. This legislation is not intended to restrict hobby beekeeping or interfere with legitimate agriculture pollination activity. Rather, it's important that it ensures that larger commercial operations follow the same registration and placement standards already expected under our current law. Several other states already have adopted similar protections. For example, the state of South Dakota maintains a three-mile spacing requirement between apiaries, while Wyoming and Vermont enforce a two-mile spacing requirement with exemptions for smaller operations and landowners. These states recognize what experienced beekeepers have long understood. Responsible spacing requirements help protect colony health, reduce conflicts between the operators, and support the long-term sustainability of the industry. Ohio has an opportunity to be proactive by adopting similar standards that promote cooperation, clarity, and fairness among our commercial beekeepers. At its core, House Bill 9-11 is about protecting investments, encouraging compliance with existing law, and supporting the continued success of an industry that is vital to Ohio agriculture. It helps ensure that Ohio's beekeeping community can continue to grow and thrive while reducing conflicts that have increasingly become a source of concern for beekeepers in my district and across the state. I do appreciate the local beekeepers who brought these concerns forward and their expertise and helped shape this important legislation. Their willingness to educate policymakers and work collaboratively on solutions demonstrates the very best of citizen involvement in the legislative process. Thank you, Chair Kloppenstein and Vice Chair Newman, Ranking Member Cockley, and members of the House Agricultural Committee for the opportunity to provide sponsored testimony on House Bill 9-11. I respectfully ask for your consideration and support, and I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have at this time.
Thank you for your testimony, Representative Miller. That's very sweet. Representative Schmidt.
Thank you so much, Mr. Chair. And thank you for this sweet proposal. I have beekeepers in my district, and before they buzz negative things in my ear, when we changed how the payment method for their licensure occurred, I didn't realize how many beekeepers I had in my district. So community at large, are they in favor of this, or am I going to get a lot of little buzzwords I didn't know about?
Through the chair to Representative Schmidt, I can certainly assure you it was the beekeepers in my community that came to me to bring this forward because they've been experiencing many, many challenges and have been asking, quite honestly, for almost four years for something to be done. And as you may know, too, representing your constituents, I am not a beekeeper. I was way out of my comfort zone when I suited up and went to the bees, but I did it and I understood, and I'm very grateful for the people who are doing this. And so I'm willing to learn, and they were willing to work with me, and I said I'd be happy to champion this. So I know there are many that are ready to come forward and share why this is important for Ohio. On my way home, I'm going to ask the busiest, the queen bee, I should say king bee of the beekeepers association in my area to make sure they're on board.
Excellent. Thank you. Representative Newman.
Thank you to the chair, and thank you, Representative, for bringing this to our attention. We've had comments from our constituents asking about various things, making sure we ensure the health of our colonies. So there's a lot I don't understand, and you may have alluded to it in your testimony. I didn't catch the details. Can you tell us, is there a difference between, like, an individual has one hive or two in the backyard or a farmer has one or two versus somebody who has a large operation, are they all required to be registered no matter how many colonies they have? And if there's separation between the two, would that prevent two neighbors from having colonies in their backyard if they only have one or two? Can you help us understand the difference between licensing, registering, and all those things?
Sure. Through the chair to Representative Newman, thank you very much for the question. I will do my very best to answer since I am actually not a beekeeper, but I will share with you some of the highlights of what I've learned by bringing forth this bill. But I will allow the details to be brought forth by those who are actually the practitioners that are actually doing this. What I understand currently is that it is the, so right now this bill would require that you would have to have a license or apply for a license if you're looking to do anything three miles or above. So you cannot place anything closer than three miles. Currently, my understanding is that 70% of apiaries are already placed three miles apart. And so this would grandfather those in, but this bill is setting this requirement forward for any new ones that to be established Currently this bill would require less than 10 hives 10 hives or less currently As far as I know, a lot of my constituents have different hives in different locations, so I'm not sure from a commercial beekeeper how many you would want to have before you break those colonies up and move them to different locations. So I'll let those experts share from their experience. But I appreciate the question. It's a little bit more in the detail than I understand.
You're welcome.
Representative Cochley.
Thank you, Chair. And to the representative, I typically don't comment on people's outfits, but how can you not? Like the color coding, 10 out of 10. I also actually have a large number of beekeepers in my community, and the first thing I moved into my office was local honey. so I think talking about apiary and bees in general is really exciting. I also have a pollinator-friendly front yard and the importance of talking about pollinators overall is just so important so I thank you for bringing this to the committee. My first question if I may share I'll have a follow-up. How might this bill impact community gardens or non-profits that also have
beekeeping? Through the chair to Representative Cockley, that is a really good question. Right now, this bill, there are exemptions. So right now, the exemption, if folks are currently using bees for pollination, that would exempt them from having to get a license. Again, that's currently within a 30-day period. So for personal recreational purposes, as well as flowering and blooming crops, that would not impact folks in this bill. What would be impacted are those, again, within three miles. And, of course, it's pretty, I don't need to necessarily read them in detail because it's listed in the analysis. It's very, very simple. So if they're proposing less than 10 hives, if it's not used for commercial purposes, if they're located on a property owned by the person. Also, they would have to, if they're going to be close enough, they would have to obtain permission if they're going to be near commercial apiary. And then also if the person does not intend to use the apiary for commercial purpose. So they have to meet one of those requirements in order to have to have a license from the state.
Very good. Thank you.
You're welcome.
Follow up if I may.
Follow up.
Thank you, Chair. My second question for you, how might this bill impact the number of pollinators, bees in particular, in Ohio?
Through the chair to Representative Cockley. I can't honestly answer that question with great education just because I'm not an expert in the bees, but the bee experts will be coming in and will give you a sweet answer.
You're welcome.
any additional questions seeing none we appreciate your sponsor testimony and thank you for being here today thank you for having me thank you that concludes the first hearing of house bill 9-11 and i want to go back and clarify a little bit ranking member miller is not here today and Representative Cochley is serving as our committee secretary. So thank you. Next up on our agenda for its fourth hearing is House Bill 364. And I will recognize Vice Chair Newman for a motion.
I motion to amend with substitute bill ending in underscore 0539-2.
The substitute bill is in order. Will the member please explain the amendment?
Yes, thank you to the chair. This substitute bill streamlines sodium warning regulations for chain food service operations while shifting certain communicative responsibilities to service staff. Specifically, the bill eliminates the requirement for the Director of Health to create a specific warning text to accompany high sodium icons and revises the rule to require a factual sodium warning statement at a minimum of one point of selection, now defined as the primary physical or digital location where customers view options, rather than at all points. Additionally, the sub-bill clarifies that Internet menus are subject to these rules, mandates that servers proactively ask customers about food allergies, and require servers to provide a menu item's sodium content upon a customer's request.
Are there any objections to the substitute bill? Hearing none, the substitute bill is accepted. and we have some written testimony on the iPad. Please read that in regards to the bill. And an in-person proponent testimony today is Julie Matters. Are you here? Welcome to committee and we will welcome your testimony. Thank you for being here and proceed when you're ready.
Thank you for having me. Good morning, Representative Klopfenstein and esteemed members of the committee. May I open with a question?
Certainly.
Mr. Chairman Klopfenstein, would you define food and water as absolute bare necessities for humans?
Absolutely. Good water.
And do you think that people in our community should be able to enjoy these absolute bare necessities without fear Absolutely Wonderful I glad you think that way Because every day one in 10 people in Ohio fear their lives when given these necessities. Over 33 million Americans have food allergies, meaning every time they eat at an establishment, it could be life or death. I can't speak for everyone with an allergy, but I can use myself as an example. Countless times have I ended up in the hospital due to putting all of my trust into a careless person to tell me whether or not something is safe. Allergen disclosure is not just about preference, it is about survival. Individuals shouldn't have to live in fear, and this bill would make those with allergies feel more confident that they are safe when eating at an establishment. I know how stressful and challenging it can be to find a place that accommodates food allergies. And I know that I can speak on behalf of everyone with a food allergy when I say that we are tired. Tired of our lives constantly being at risk when all we want is to enjoy a meal. We are tired of constantly having to ask personnel if something is safe. We are tired of watching some people eat freely while we are restricted for the sake of simply not knowing. This simple bill would not only change lives, it would bring an enormous sense of relief to the community. I'd like to share a personal experience that altered how I view life, establishments, and overall depleted my trust in food service. In 2020, I spent hours fighting for my life in the hospital due to an allergic reaction. I was just a child still in elementary school at the time, but I knew that something had to change. That fear invoked in me is something that will stay with me for the rest of my life. And the thought of another child having to face that trauma horrifies me. After that incident, I, a fourth grader at that time, refused to eat anywhere except my own home. I do not expect everyone to understand just how profound this was, as this is not a daily trepidation that everyone is faced with. but I hope and pray that you understand just how crucial food allergen awareness is. Now, I could go on to explain how this fear has directly impacted the severe anxiety I've struggled with for my entire life, but instead I will focus on highlighting the good, the good that this bill can do for our community, our state, and our country. Ohio has the opportunity to lead the nation by making this change. On July 1st, California will enforce that all restaurant menus list allergens, showing just how easy it is to make this change. If California, a state almost four times larger than ours, is able to make this change, I feel that our state should easily be able to uphold and enforce the promises of this bill. Thank you for your time.
Thank you for being here today. Is this your first time testifying?
It is, yes.
You did very well.
Thank you.
Are there questions from the committee? Wow, it looks like you're going to get off easy today. We do appreciate you being here today and thank you for your testimony.
Thank you for your time.
Is there anyone else present that would like to provide testimony on House Bill 364? Seeing none, this concludes the fourth hearing of House Bill 364. Next up on our agenda is House Bill 664. I now recognize Vice Chair Newman for a motion.
Thank you, Chair. I motion to amend with Substitute Bill ending in underscore 2242-2.
Substitute Bill is in order. Will the member please explain the Substitute Bill?
Yes, sir. The substitute bill removes the ability for veterinary technicians, RVTs, to establish a veterinary client-patient relationship, but retains their ability to administer the vaccines in the bill with the approval of a licensed veterinarian. Instead of a veterinarian-client-patient relationship, the bill allows the veterinary technicians to establish an access-and-treat relationship in accordance with a care coordination agreement with a licensed veterinarian. The bill specifies that as a minimum requirement of the CCA, the licensed veterinarian is available by phone at all times that the RVT is providing the allowable care. Veterinarians that enter into a CCA with a RVT would have discretion to impose restrictions beyond those set by the bill. At a minimum, the CCA would include provisions regarding obtaining relevant medical history, requirements for examination prior to the administration of any vaccine or medication, criteria that would disqualify an animal from receiving a vaccine or medication, vaccination and medication protocols, a requirement that a veterinarian is available to physically respond in the case of an adverse reaction, and documentation of specified information. The bill allows CCAs to be authorized and remain in effect until the veterinarian terminates the authorization. Finally, the sub-bill requires that clients are informed either orally or in writing that a RVT is performing this act on behalf of a licensed veterinarian.
Are there any objections to the substitute bill? Hearing none, the substitute bill is accepted and this will conclude the third hearing of House Bill 664. Please remember the roll will remain open until 2 o'clock today. I think everyone has signed it and with that there's no further business to come before the committee and we are hereby adjourned.