2021 Legislative Session


The Texas Beekeepers Association Legislative Committee has been working hard to follow bills as they were introduced. We will continue to monitor and update this site as new information unfolds. If you see other relevant bills that should receive our attention, please let us know.

The 2021 TBA Legislative Committee consists of:

  • Leesa Hyder, TBA Executive Secretary
  • Dennis Hebert
  • Chris Moore
  • Dodie Stillman
  • John Swan, TBA Vice-President
  • Ashley Ralph, TBA President
  • Capitol Lobbyist: Joe Morris

Bee-related bills:

  • HB 1480 / SB 472 – Relating to the protection of animal and crop facilities; creating a criminal offense
  • HB 365 / SB 365 – Relating to the liability for farm animal activities
  • HB 520 – Relating to the regulation by the Texas Department of Transportation of right-of-way landscaping installed by utilities
  • SB 1772 – Relating to the establishment of the Texas Pollinator-Smart program for solar energy sites
  • HB 1686 / SB 1062 – Relating to the regulation of food production on single-family residential lots by a municipality or property owners’ association.
  • SB 617 / HB 1652 – Relating to the regulation of certain direct sales of food to consumers and a limitation on the fee amount for certain permits.
  • HB 862 / SB 682 – Relating to the regulation of migrant labor housing facilities.
  • HB 4319 / SB 1994 and HB 4320 / SB 1995 – Relating to the eligibility of land for appraisal for ad valorem tax purposes as qualified open-space land based on its use to raise or keep bees. Relating to the appraisal of land for ad valorem tax purposes on the basis of its productive capacity.
  • SB 1128 – Relating to pollinator health.

Other relevant bills:

  • SB 1245 – Relating to the farm and ranch survey conducted by the comptroller for purposes of estimating the productivity value of qualified open-space land as part of the study of school district taxable values.
  • SB 1449 – Relating to the exemption from ad valorem taxation of income-producing tangible personal property having a value of less than a certain amount.