Politics

In their own words: Debating fees for bees

SDPB Radio | By Cara Hetland,

Published March 12, 2023 at 4:14 AM CDT

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Honeybees are vulnerable to the kind of pesticide sprayed in Dorchester County, but hives — at least those maintained by beekeepers — could have been protected, by the timing of the spraying or by physical barriers. They weren't, and millions of bees died. — Bees are raised by honey sellers and hobbyists in South Dakota.

This segment originally aired on In the Moment on SDPB Radio.

In one aspect, the 2023 legislative session has been like all the others. The Capitol was buzzing with debate on high-profile issues such as taxes, health care, education and voting guidelines.

But not every one of the 400-plus bills introduced this year can be high-profile. Some are more niche issues that still need to be addressed in state statute.

For example: House Bill 1025. It's a bill that would raise the fees to register an apiary with the department of agriculture and natural resources. Basically, it affects fees for bees.

The legislature eventually approved the bill, and Gov. Kristi Noem signed it into law. But it did see some debate in the House of Representatives. Listen to it in their own words.