[NuclearDruid]

The Governor has until JULY 13TH to either sign our bill or ignore it. That is six days away. I really want him to put his name to it.

I'd like to ask all Illinois beekeepers to make five phone calls to get SB2959 over this last hump.

1. Call your local Rep/Senator. There were only two Nay votes in the Senate and the bill passed unanimously in the House. Each of our elected representatives have a stake in this signing based on their voting for it. You can find their contact information here: http://www.ilga.gov/

2. Contact your local Farm Bureau and ask to speak with the manager. The farm bureau has stood behind this bill through the entire Spring. Request that they call the Governor's office and ask him to sign this into law. Here you can click on your county for contact information:
http://www.ilfb.org/countymap.asp

4. Contact the Governor's "Local Food, Farms, and Jobs Council" Board:

http://appointments.illinois.gov/appointmentsDetail.cfm?id=330

Mr. Braun, the "contact person" of the board has an email and contact
number (515)-229-2679. This certainly will affect local farmers and food entrepreneurs so the Governor's own council should be tracking the bill.

4. Contact the Governor's Office by phone: 1-217-782-0244 Ask to speak to the Legislative Department. Explain that you are aware that SB 2959 is under review, however the deadline is approaching in 6
days and that as a Keeper of Bees you will be directly affected.

Unlike a lot of bills on the Governor's desk, SB 2959 will not cost the Taxpayers a single dime.

Governor Quinn has been sitting on this bill for a month and a half with no action. Lets get the word out to club members, friends, family, and customers. Together we can create enough buzz to get this signed.

Thanks!
ND

 

[dbest]

Heres the law in a nut shell.

http://www.genevagreenmarket.org/education/new-honey-legislation-in-illinois-senate-bill-2959/

 

[mxr618]

Am digging for information -- what happens if this doesn't pass?

Are we up against Big Ag here?

 

[acb's]

I had been told that the gov could sign it, ignore it, or veto it, The only one we had to worry about was his veto, because it would automatically become law after 60 days even if he didn't sign it. Any truth to this?
Arvin

 

[Barry]

Our ex city mayor, Mike Fortner, created this bill. I talked with him a few weeks back about it and he felt pretty confident that it would pass.

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/Bil...&DocNum=5755&GAID=10&SessionID=76&LegID=51143

 

[bobber128]

I apologize in advance, I'm from Michigan, and am not familiar with ILL laws, and I'm also a new beek, so please be patient.

By the state categorizing raw honey as a "raw agricultural commodity," what benefits does this give the beekeepers? Is this simply a "feel-good" bill to change the semantics, or does it change procedure as well? If it is the latter, how will it change procedure? Thanks.

 

[Gary_G]

Great News. The word is that the bill was signed by Gov. Quinn and will be in effect January 1, 2011. See below for the legalese

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/fulltext.asp?Name=096-1028&GA=96

 

[bobber128]

Great news. Now that I was able to see the full bill, I see the benefit. THe first llinks I checked only hade the definition at the beginning.