§19-13-1. Short Title
This article may be cited as "The West Virginia Apiary Act."
§19-13-11. Penalties for Violations of Article; Rules
(a)(1) Criminal penalties. — Any person violating any provision of this article is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $500 for the first offense, and for each subsequent offense, shall be fined not less than $500 nor more than $1,000, or imprisoned in […]
§19-13-12. Severability
If any provision of this article or the application thereof to any person or circumstances is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of this article which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of the article are declared severable.
§19-13-2. Definitions
For the purpose of this article, the term: (1) "Abandoned apiary" means any apiary in which twenty-five percent or more of the colonies are dead or diseased, or the death or disarray of the colonies exposes them to robbing, or diseased or potentially diseased abandoned bee equipment which may jeopardize the welfare of neighboring colonies.
§19-13-3. Commissioner's Powers and Duties; Rule-Making Authority; Apiary Education; Cooperation With Governmental Agencies; Seizure of Infected Bees and Bee Equipment
(a) The commissioner may propose rules for legislative approval in accordance with the provisions of article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code: (1) To effectively eradicate, suppress or control honey bee pests as far as may be practical; (2) to regulate the keeping and maintaining of bees, bee equipment, queen breeding equipment, apiaries and appliances; […]
§19-13-4. Registration of Bees; Identification of Apiaries; Limitation on Liability
(a) All persons keeping bees in this state shall apply for a certificate of registration for beekeeping from the commissioner, within ten days of the date that bees are acquired, by notifying the commissioner, in writing, of the number and location of colonies they own or rent, or which they keep for someone else, whether […]
§19-13-5. Right of Entry; Apiary Inspections; Quarantines
(a) During reasonable working hours, the commissioner may enter upon any premises to access any apiary for the purpose of inspecting or sampling. No person shall obstruct or hinder the commissioner in the discharge of his or her duties. (b) The commissioner shall inspect, as practicable, all colonies of honey bees domiciled within the State […]
§19-13-6. Abandoned Apiaries and Equipment; Notice
It shall be unlawful for a person to knowingly maintain an abandoned apiary or bee equipment. When the commissioner determines that an apiary or bee equipment has been abandoned, he or she shall notify, in writing, the owner or operator that the apiary or bee equipment has been declared abandoned. The owner or operator has […]
§19-13-7. Bees Brought Into State to Carry Inspection Certificate; Commissioner to Be Notified; Interstate Movement of Bees
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to transport bees, used bee equipment or used appliances into West Virginia, unless accompanied by a certificate of inspection signed by an authorized state or federal inspection official verifying the actual inspection of the bees, used bee equipment or used appliances within thirty days preceding the date […]
§19-13-9. Candy for Mailing Cages
Any person who engages in the shipping of bees in combless packages in this state shall, in manufacturing candy for mailing cages, sterilize the same or use candy that does not contain honey.