88R3969 EAS-F
 
  By: Bailes H.B. No. 2329
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to honey production operations and the harvesting and
  packaging of honey and honeycomb.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 437.001(7), Health and Safety Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
               (7)  "Honey [Small honey] production operation" means a
  beekeeper that[:
                     [(A)  produces less than 2,500 pounds of honey
  each year;
                     [(B)]  sells or distributes [the] honey or
  honeycomb [that] the beekeeper produces [either personally or with
  the help of the beekeeper's immediate family members;
                     [(C)  only sells or distributes honey or
  honeycomb:
                           [(i)  that is produced from a hive that is:
                                 [(a)  located in the state; and
                                 [(b)  owned and managed by the
  beekeeper;
                           [(ii)]  that is or from which is extracted
  pure honey as defined by Section 131.001, Agriculture Code, [and]
  that is raw and not blended with any other product or otherwise
  adulterated[; and
                           [(iii)  directly to consumers at the
  beekeeper's home, a farmer's market, a farm stand, or a municipal,
  county, or nonprofit fair, festival, or event; and
                     [(D)  delivers the honey or honeycomb that the
  beekeeper produces to the consumer at the point of sale or another
  location designated by the consumer].
         SECTION 2.  Sections 437.0197, 437.0198, and 437.0199,
  Health and Safety Code, are amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 437.0197.  EXEMPTION FOR [SMALL] HONEY PRODUCTION
  OPERATION.  A [small] honey production operation is not a food
  service establishment for purposes of this chapter.
         Sec. 437.0198.  REGULATION OF [SMALL] HONEY PRODUCTION
  OPERATION PROHIBITED.  A local government authority, including a
  local health department, may not regulate the production of honey
  or honeycomb at a [small] honey production operation.
         Sec. 437.0199.  LABELING REQUIREMENTS FOR [SMALL] HONEY
  PRODUCTION OPERATION.  Honey or honeycomb sold or distributed by a
  [small] honey production operation must be labeled in accordance
  with Subchapter E, Chapter 131, Agriculture Code.  [The label must
  include:
               [(1)  the net weight of the honey expressed in both the
  avoirdupois and metric systems;
               [(2)  the beekeeper's name and address; and
               [(3)  the statement "Bottled or packaged in a facility
  not inspected by the Texas Department of State Health Services."]
         SECTION 3.  Chapter 437, Health and Safety Code, is amended
  by adding Section 437.01991 to read as follows:
         Sec. 437.01991.  HONEY AS RAW AGRICULTURAL COMMODITY. (a)  
  In this section, "raw agricultural commodity" has the meaning
  assigned by Section 431.002.
         (b)  For purposes of this subtitle and other applicable law,
  a honey production operation that:
               (1)  extracts honey from honeycomb is harvesting a raw
  agricultural commodity; and
               (2)  bottles extracted honey and packages cut honeycomb
  is packaging a raw agricultural commodity without necessitating any
  additional manufacturing or processing.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.