Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas House Bill HB2158

Introduced
1/29/25  
Refer
1/29/25  
Report Pass
2/11/25  
Engrossed
2/18/25  
Refer
2/20/25  
Report Pass
3/18/25  
Enrolled
4/9/26  

Caption

Permitting beekeepers who meet certain requirements to sell packaged honey and honeycombs without holding a food establishment or food processing plant license under the Kansas food, drug and cosmetic act.

Impact

The bill's enactment is expected to simplify the regulatory process for beekeepers in Kansas, potentially encouraging more individuals to engage in beekeeping and contribute to local agriculture. By removing the licensing requirement for qualifying beekeepers, HB2158 aims to promote the sale of local honey and honey products, which may foster economic growth in rural areas and enhance community access to locally sourced food products. Furthermore, the legislation maintains provisions to ensure sanitary standards and product traceability.

Summary

House Bill 2158 aims to facilitate the sale of honey and honeycombs by allowing beekeepers who meet specific criteria to do so without obtaining a food establishment or food processing plant license under the Kansas food, drug, and cosmetic act. This legislation defines 'honey' and 'honeycomb,' clarifying the products that beekeepers can sell. It sets thresholds for annual gross sales and mandates packaging and labeling requirements, thus streamlining regulations for small-scale producers while ensuring some level of oversight.

Sentiment

Discussions surrounding HB2158 have largely been positive, with supporters highlighting its benefit to small-scale agricultural producers. The sentiment expressed by legislators favoring the bill indicates a strong belief in promoting local businesses and agricultural sustainability. However, there are underlying concerns regarding food safety and regulation compliance, with some stakeholders urging careful implementation to avoid potential public health risks that could arise from less oversight for food products.

Contention

While the bill has garnered significant support, there are concerns about the balance between easing regulations and ensuring food safety. Critics may argue that without stringent licensing and inspection requirements, there could be risks associated with unregulated honey products, such as contamination or mislabeling. The debate highlights the tension between encouraging small businesses and maintaining public health standards, showcasing a fundamental conflict in agricultural policy-making.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

KS HB2002

Expanding medical assistance eligibility and enacting the cutting healthcare costs for all Kansans act.

KS SB2

Eliminating the income limit to qualify for the subtraction modification exempting social security benefits, increasing the income tax credit amount for household and dependent care expenses, establishing the veterans' valor property tax relief act providing for an income tax credit or refund for eligible individuals, citing the increased property tax homestead refund claim section as the homeowners' property tax freeze program, decreasing the normal privilege tax rate, increasing the extent of property tax exemption for residential property from the statewide school levy, decreasing the rate of ad valorem tax imposed by a school district; providing for certain transfers to the state school district finance fund, reducing the state rate of tax on sales of food and food ingredients and modifying the percent credited to the state highway fund from revenue collected.

KS SB1

Modifying income tax rates for individuals, exempting all social security benefits from Kansas income tax, increasing the Kansas standard deduction and the Kansas personal exemption, increasing the income tax credit amount for household and dependent care expenses, decreasing the privilege tax normal tax, excluding internal revenue code section 1031 exchange transactions as indicators of fair market value for property tax valuation purposes, increasing the extent of property tax exemption for residential property from the statewide school levy, providing for certain transfers to the state school district finance fund and abolishing the local ad valorem tax reduction fund and the county and city revenue sharing fund.

KS SCR1604

Proposing to amend section 1 of article 11 of the constitution of the state of Kansas to limit property tax valuation increases for real property and personal property mobile homes.

KS HB2001

Authorizing the secretary of commerce to enter into agreements with major professional sports franchises to establish STAR bond projects for a major professional sports complex, providing for additional revenue sources, expanding the powers and discretion of the secretary and making other changes to the STAR bonds financing act to facilitate such projects, limiting the secretary’s authority to approve such projects to one year unless extended by the legislative coordinating council, authorizing the Kansas development finance authority to issue STAR bonds for such projects, transferring funds under certain circumstances from the state gaming revenues fund to the attracting professional sports to Kansas fund for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, and, if approved by the legislative coordinating council, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026.

KS SR1702

A resolution honoring the life, career and trailblazing achievements of Kansas icon Ed Dwight.

KS HB2003

Establishing the veterans' valor property tax relief act providing for an income tax credit or refund for eligible individuals, modifying the definition of household income and increasing the appraised value threshold for eligibility of seniors and disabled veterans related to increased property tax claims and citing the section as the homeowners' property tax freeze program, providing property tax exemptions for certain personal property including watercraft, marine equipment, off-road vehicles, motorized bicycles and certain trailers, excluding internal revenue code section 1031 exchange transactions as indicators of fair market value, providing for certain exclusions from the prohibition of paying taxes under protest after a valuation notice appeal and providing four prior years' values on the annual valuation notice.

KS SCR1602

Approving the creation of a port authority in Wyandotte County Kansas.

KS SB7

Authorizing federally licensed firearm dealers, in addition to county sheriffs, to receive applications for concealed carry licenses and forward such applications to the attorney general, prohibiting sheriffs from assessing any fee related to application services and allowing dealers to assess a fee related to application services not to exceed $20.

KS SB8

Exempting the sale of firearms, firearms accessories, ammunition, firearm safes and firearm safety devices from the retatilers' sales tax.

Similar Bills

TX HB519

Relating to honey production operations and the harvesting and packaging of honey and honeycomb.