West Virginia Senate Bill SB 165

West Virginia 2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/14/26
• Refer: 1/14/26

Caption

Clarifying Right to Farm Act relating to regulation of honey bees

Summary

SB 165 is a bill to clarify the West Virginia Right to Farm Act as it applies to the regulation of honey bees. Based on the caption, the measure appears intended to place honey bee-related agricultural activity within the protections of the state’s existing right-to-farm framework, likely limiting the extent to which local or other regulations can interfere with beekeeping operations that are treated as agricultural uses. Because the bill text was not available in the provided materials, the precise statutory changes cannot be identified from the record here. However, the bill’s title indicates it would amend or clarify state law governing agricultural nuisance and land-use protections so that honey bee husbandry is expressly addressed under the Right to Farm Act.

Impact

The bill would affect state agricultural law by clarifying how the Right to Farm Act applies to honey bees and beekeeping. In practical terms, it could strengthen legal protections for beekeepers and apiary operations by reducing uncertainty about whether honey bee activities are covered by existing farm protections, and it may limit regulatory or nuisance-based challenges to those activities. Any affected parties would likely include beekeepers, farmers, landowners, and local governments that regulate agricultural uses.

Sentiment

The available record shows the bill was referred to the Senate Agriculture Committee, which is consistent with a policy approach focused on agricultural clarification rather than broad controversy. No committee transcript or vote history was provided, so there is no direct evidence of opposition or support in the materials. Overall, the bill appears to be a targeted agricultural measure with an implied pro-farming and pro-beekeeping orientation.

Contention

The main point of potential contention is the balance between protecting beekeeping as an agricultural activity and preserving the ability of neighbors or local governments to regulate land use, nuisance conditions, or public-safety concerns. Supporters would likely favor clearer legal protection for honey bee operations, while critics could be concerned that expanding Right to Farm protections might reduce local control or make it harder to address conflicts involving apiaries, property use, or environmental impacts.