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<H1><B><FONT face=Arial color=black size=6><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 24pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Plan would classify wild bees as public nuisance<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></H1>
<P class=story id=mainByline><STRONG><B><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">By MIKE MEYER</SPAN></FONT></B></STRONG><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><BR>Cronkite News Service<BR>Jan. 31, 2007 05:35 PM <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">PHOENIX</SPAN></FONT></st1:place></st1:City><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> - A bill that would classify wild honeybees as a public nuisance created a little buzz in a House committee Wednesday when a lawmaker worried that beekeepers could get stung by the proposed law.<BR><BR>The House Committee on Natural Resources and Public Safety endorsed HB 2306, sponsored by Rep. Jennifer J. Burns, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">R-Avra</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Valley</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>, after Burns agreed to help develop stronger language to protect beekeepers.<BR><BR>Burns said wild honeybees should be considered a nuisance because nearly all wild colonies in <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Arizona</st1:place></st1:State> now contain Africanized bees, commonly referred to as "killer bees."<!-- BOXAD TABLE --> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV>
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<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Africanized bees can kill because they attack in larger numbers and with greater ferocity than European honeybees.<BR><BR>The bill would require property owners to remove any beehive or bee colony deemed a threat to the public's health or safety. Those who fail to comply would face a fine as well as removal of the bees at the property owner's expense.<BR><BR>Hives or colonies that are maintained by beekeepers, both professional and amateur, would be exempt from the proposed law. The bill would require beekeepers to place signs with their names and phone numbers on property containing hives or on the hives themselves.<BR><BR>The only concern about the bill came from Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Gilbert, who wanted to protect beekeepers whose signs are lost or stolen. Burns said she would work with Biggs to amend the bill to his satisfaction, and the committee endorsed the measure on a 10-0 vote.<BR><BR>Ed Hermes, a spokesman for the Arizona Department of Agriculture, said he was satisfied that the bill would not interfere with the state's beekeeping industry, which he said generates $11.8 million annually.<BR><BR>---<BR><BR>Web Links:<BR><BR>- Arizona Legislature, Bill Info: azleg.gov/Bills.asp<BR><BR>- Arizona Department of Agriculture: azda.gov<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV></DIV></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT lang=0 face=Arial color=#004000 size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" PTSIZE="10"><I>I will return to email on 2/26/07<BR>If you need immediate help contact <BR>Jennifer Tsang at jt@coevolution.org or <BR>Kat McGuire at km@coevolution.org</FONT><FONT lang=0 face=Arial color=#004000 size=3 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" PTSIZE="12"><BR></I><BR>Laurie Davies Adams<BR>Executive Director<BR>Coevolution Institute<BR>423 Washington St. 5th<BR>San Francisco, CA 94111<BR>415 362 1137<BR>LDA@coevolution.org<BR><A title=http://www.coevolution.org/ href="http://www.coevolution.org/">http://www.coevolution.org/</A></FONT><FONT lang=0 face=Arial color=#004000 size=3 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" PTSIZE="12"><BR><A title=http://www.pollinator.org/ href="http://www.pollinator.org/">http://www.pollinator.org/</A></FONT><FONT lang=0 face=Arial color=#004000 size=3 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" PTSIZE="12"><BR><A title=http://www.nappc.org/ href="http://www.nappc.org/">http://www.nappc.org/</A></FONT><FONT lang=0 face=Arial color=#004000 size=3 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" PTSIZE="12"><BR><BR></FONT><FONT lang=0 face=Arial color=#000000 size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" PTSIZE="10">Bee Ready for National Pollinator Week: June 24-30, 2007. Contact us <BR>for more information at www.pollinator.org </FONT><FONT lang=0 face=Arial color=#004000 size=3 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" PTSIZE="12"><BR><BR><B><I>Our future flies on the wings of pollinators.</B></I></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>