A. The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry, on a form prescribed by the Department, shall establish a voluntary registration program. The program shall be available to any of the following:

1. Any person establishing, maintaining, or locating an apiary within the state;

2. Any person shipping bees into the state; or

3. Migratory beekeepers that transport colonies of bees into the state.

B. The Department shall issue to each registrant a registration identification number. Any person owning an apiary that does not register with the Department shall be required to post personal contact information at or near their apiary.

C. All registrants shall pay registration fees as established by the State Board of Agriculture. Fees shall be paid to the Board prior to the processing of the registration.

D. The Board shall promulgate rules to establish and administer the voluntary registration program.

E. No person shall locate a new apiary within close proximity to an established apiary if the Department determines that the new apiary presents an imminent danger of spreading bee diseases or pests or interferes with the proper feeding and foraging of an established apiary.

F. If the Department discovers an apiary that does not appear to have a registration identification number, the Department shall make a reasonable effort to locate and notify the beekeeper or owner. If no beekeeper or owner is identified for the apiary, then it may be designated as an abandoned apiary, and the Department may destroy the apiary or donate it to an appropriate research facility.

Laws 1955, p. 19, art. 3(F), § 13; Amended by Laws 1988, HB 1830, c. 259, § 7, emerg. eff. July 1, 1988; Amended by Laws 1992, SB 928, c. 290, § 1, eff. September 1, 1992; Amended by Laws 2000, SB 1424, c. 367, § 22, emerg. eff. June 6, 2000 (superseded document available); Amended by Laws 2005, HB 1809, c. 135, § 5, eff. November 1, 2005 (superseded document available).