Tennessee § 44-15-101 - Title — Purpose.

§ 44-15-101. Title — Purpose.

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Tennessee Apiary Act of 1995.” Honeybees are kept in beehives by beekeepers throughout the state, and many colonies of feral honeybees have established nests in hollow trees and in walls of buildings. These honeybees perform a pollination function that is essential to the propagation of many species of flowering plants in Tennessee. These flowering plants include many agricultural crops, wildflowers, and forest plants that are of great importance to all Tennesseans, and the honeybees are the major pollinator for most of these plants. Therefore, the state should take appropriate actions to help assure the continued availability of an adequate population of honeybee pollinators. Honeybees, like other animal species, are afflicted by a variety of contagious diseases and pests that can cause serious population reductions. The natural behavior of honeybees cause them to be interactive with bees from other colonies and therefore vulnerable to transmission of some diseases and pests. Therefore, persons involved in the keeping of bees in a given area can engage in beekeeping practices that will have a real and direct impact on the honeybees and beekeeping in surrounding areas. This chapter enables and provides for the development of regulatory programs for beekeeping activities in the state as may be needed to help protect honeybees from diseases, pests, and other threats that could seriously reduce the availability of the honeybee pollinators. Acts 1995, ch. 402, § 2; T.C.A. § 44-15-201 . Compiler's Notes. Former chapter 15, §§ 44-15-101 — 44-15-115 (Acts 1961, ch. 39, §§ 1 — 15; T.C.A., §§ 44-2201 — 44-2215; Acts 1989, ch. 591, § 113), concerning the Tennessee apiary laws, were repealed by Acts 1995, ch. 402, § 1. Former chapter 15, part 2, §§ 44-15-201 — 44-15-223 , were transferred to §§ 44-15-101 — 44-15-123 , respectively, in 2000. Cross-References. Humane treatment of animals not subject to state game and fish laws, § 5-9-110 . Attorney General Opinions. Homeowners’ association’s restrictive covenants on beekeeping. OAG 13-02, 2013 Tenn. AG LEXIS 2 (1/7/13). Comparative Legislation. Apiaries: Ala. Code § 2-14-1 et seq. Ark. Code § 2-22-101 et seq. Ga. O.C.G.A. § 2-14-40 et seq. Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 252.170 et seq. Miss. Code Ann. § 69-25-101 et seq. Mo. Rev. Stat. § 264.011 et seq. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 106-634 et seq. Va. Code § 3.1-610.1 et seq. Collateral References. Keeping bees as nuisance. 88 A.L.R.3d 992. Liability for injury or damage caused by bees. 86 A.L.R.3d 829. Validity and construction of beekeeping regulation. 55 A.L.R.4th 1223. Agriculture 2.