Title 15 — Title 15 AGRICULTURE AND MARKETING
49 chapters · 1,005 sections in this title.
RCW 15.62.010 Purpose and findings.
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The purpose of this chapter is to advance the public welfare and education and to promote the interest, products, services, and stabilization of Washington's honey bee industry.The legislature finds that:(1) Increasing the consumption of products of the honey bee industry and pro…
RCW 15.62.020 Definitions.
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Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter:(1) "Affected person" means an apiarist, manufacturer, processor, first handler, broker, or volunteer who shall pay to the commission the minimum assessments required in R…
RCW 15.62.030 Commission established by referendum.
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The Washington state honey bee commission shall be established following approval of a referendum by a majority of the affected apiarists and brokers, as set forth in RCW 15.62.140(4) for assessment increases.[ 1989 c 5 s 3.]
RCW 15.62.040 Powers and duties of commission.
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The commission shall have the following powers and duties:(1) To elect a chairperson and other officers as it deems advisable;(2) To promulgate rules and regulations under the administrative procedure act, chapter 34.05 RCW, and RCW 15.04.200 as necessary to effectuate the purpos…
RCW 15.62.050 Commission compositions—Eleven positions.
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The commission shall consist of the following members:(1) Apiarist position one shall represent area one, which includes the counties of Whatcom, San Juan[,] Island, Skagit, Snohomish, and King; and(2) Apiarist position two shall represent area two, which includes the counties of…
RCW 15.62.060 Position qualifications.
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(1) Commission positions one through seven shall be filled by persons who meet the following requirements:(a) Resident of this state;(b) Resident of the area they represent; and(c) Actually engaged in owning, operating, or as a broker of bee colonies for the five years immediatel…
RCW 15.62.070 Terms of office—Vacancies.
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(1) The regular terms of office of each elected member of the commission shall be three years, except that the term of office for the initial members shall be as follows:(a) Positions for areas one, four, and seven - one year.(b) Positions for areas two, five, and eight - two yea…
RCW 15.62.080 Apiarist members—Election.
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(1) Apiarist members of the commission shall be nominated and elected by the apiarists within the district they are to represent in the year in which a member's term expires. The candidate receiving the largest number of votes cast shall be elected. The election shall be by secre…
RCW 15.62.090 Notice, elections, referenda—Lists of apiarists, manufacturers, processors, and first handlers.
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(1)(a) The director shall cause a list to be prepared of all apiarists, as defined in RCW 15.62.020, from the list of apiarists registered with the department under *RCW 15.60.030. A qualified person may, at any time, have his or her name placed on the list by registering with th…
RCW 15.62.100 Costs of elections and referendums—Reimbursement.
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The commission shall reimburse the director for the actual costs incurred in conducting the elections and referendums, and acquiring lists of affected persons.[ 1989 c 5 s 9.]
RCW 15.62.110 Quorum—Travel expenses.
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(1) A majority of the commission members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of all business of the commission.(2) Members of the commission shall be reimbursed for travel expenses, as prescribed by the commission, for each day spent in attendance at, or traveling to an…
RCW 15.62.120 Certified copies of commission's proceedings, records, and acts—Admissible in court.
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Copies of the proceedings, records, and acts of the commission, when certified by the secretary, shall be admissible in any court and be evidence of the truth of the statements therein contained.[ 1989 c 5 s 11.]
RCW 15.62.130 Commission officers—Members' fidelity bonds.
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The commission may elect an executive secretary who is not a member and fix his or her compensation and may appoint a treasurer who shall sign all vouchers and receipts for moneys received by the commission. The commission shall purchase for each of its members a fidelity bond ex…
RCW 15.62.140 Assessments—Minimum—Increase.
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(1) The commission shall collect annual assessments as follows:(a) Twenty-five cents for each colony operated by an apiarist or broker in Washington at any time in a calendar year. Each colony shall be assessed only once per calendar year. There shall be a minimum assessment of t…
RCW 15.62.150 Assessments—Collection—Deposit in local fund—Gifts, grants, and endowments—Failure to remit assessment.
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(1) All assessments shall be collected by the commission on a quarterly basis or as otherwise determined by the commission.(2) The commission shall create a local fund in a local financial institution approved by the director and shall deposit therein, each day, all moneys receiv…
RCW 15.62.160 Assessment error—Refund.
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A person shall be entitled to a refund of assessed money held by the commission fund when it has been determined by the commission that the affected person was assessed and made payment in error.[ 1989 c 5 s 16.]
RCW 15.62.170 Recordkeeping.
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(1) Each apiarist and broker shall keep accurate records of the number of colonies owned or operated during each calendar year.(2) Each manufacturer shall keep accurate records of gross sales of industry products or manufactured goods sold in the state of Washington.(3) Each proc…
RCW 15.62.180 Reporting.
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Each affected person shall, as required, file with the commission a return under oath on forms to be furnished by the commission, stating the information requested by the commission regarding the ownership, handling, processing, manufacturing, delivering, shipping, sale, and brok…
RCW 15.62.200 Audit of records of affected persons.
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The commission through its agents may audit the records of any affected person for the purpose of enforcing the provisions of this chapter. The commission must first notify the affected person of their intention to audit and may request supporting documents of the affected person…
RCW 15.62.210 Nonliability of state—Salaries, expenses, and liabilities.
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The state shall not be liable for the acts or on the contracts of the commission, nor shall any member or employee of the commission be liable on its contracts.All salaries, expenses, and liabilities incurred by persons employed or contracting under this chapter for the commissio…
RCW 15.62.220 Violations—Misdemeanor.
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Any person who violates or aids in the violation of any provision of this chapter or any rule or regulation of the commission shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.[ 1989 c 5 s 22.]
RCW 15.62.230 Prosecutions—Superior court jurisdiction—Equitable remedies.
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(1) Any prosecution brought under this chapter may be instituted in any county in which the defendant or any defendant resides, or in which the violation was committed, or in which the defendant or any defendant has his or her principal place of business.(2) The commission is her…
RCW 15.62.300 Termination, suspension, or continuance of commission.
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In the seventh year following the inception of the commission, a referendum shall be conducted by the department of agriculture to determine if the commission is still desired by the beekeeping industry in Washington. The commission shall continue if the director finds that affec…
RCW 15.62.310 Termination or suspension of commission.
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The commission shall be terminated or suspended if the director finds that apiarists and brokers voting in a referendum conducted as for an assessment increase in RCW 15.62.140(4) voted in favor of such termination or suspension. A referendum may be called by a majority of the co…
RCW 15.62.900 Liberal construction.
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This chapter shall be liberally construed to effectuate the policies and purpose set forth herein.[ 1989 c 5 s 24.]