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Read. Follow. Verify.Idaho updates Honey Commission regulations, inspection standards, and civil penalties
Last action · March 30, 2026: Reported Signed by Governor on March 27, 2026 Session Law Chapter 218 Effective: 07/01/2026; 07/01/2026 IDAPA Sunset Clause - SECTION 12
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What This Bill Does
Idaho House Bill 826 revises provisions governing the Idaho Honey Commission, adopts United States standards for grades of extracted honey, and establishes civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation beginning July 1, 2026.
Commercial beekeepers and honey packers face new inspection standards, updated administrative rules, and potential civil fines of up to $10,000 for non-compliance, while hives brought into the state solely for indoor winter storage are exempted from certain fees.
- The Idaho Honey Commission operates within the Idaho State Department of Agriculture to support industry promotion, research, and quality standards. context
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Commercial beekeepers
Subject to updated commission terms, inspection rules, quality standards, and potential civil penalties.
Honey packers
Subject to factory inspections, sampling under U.S. grade standards, and 'stop sale, use, or removal' orders for non-compliant products.
Hobbyist beekeepers
Remain exempt from mandatory hive taxation but may voluntarily register by paying an annual fee.
Key Facts
- Adopts the United States standards for grades of extracted honey to guide administrative quality and adulteration determinations.
- Establishes civil penalties of up to $10,000 per offense plus attorney's fees for violations of chapter provisions.
- Voids existing administrative rules contained in IDAPA 02.06.16 regarding honey standards effective July 1, 2026.
- Exempts hives brought into Idaho for indoor winter storage prior to out-of-state pollination or honey production from fees and taxes, subject to registration requirements.
Show all 7 facts
- Maintains an annual continuing tax of five cents (5¢) per hive or colony of bees levied on July 1, with provisions for adjustments between three and ten cents via referendum.
- Authorizes the Department of Agriculture or commission to issue written 'stop sale, use, or removal' orders for honey offered for sale in violation of the chapter.
- Removes provisions regarding commission-set rules while allowing inspection of processing facilities, vehicles, and records during normal business hours upon written complaint.
Frequently Asked Questions
What standards will Idaho use to determine honey quality and grading?
Are hobbyist beekeepers required to pay the annual hive tax?
What happens to hives brought into Idaho only for indoor winter storage?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Signed into law.
Procedural history
17 actions- Mar 30, 2026EnrolledReported Signed by Governor on March 27, 2026 Session Law Chapter 218 Effective: 07/01/2026; 07/01/2026 IDAPA Sunset Clause - SECTION 12
- Mar 27, 2026Delivered to Governor at 12:01 p.m. on March 27, 2026
- Mar 27, 2026Returned Signed by the President; Ordered Transmitted to Governor
- Mar 26, 2026Signed by President; returned to House
- Mar 26, 2026Received from the House enrolled/signed by Speaker
- Mar 26, 2026Reported Enrolled; Signed by Speaker; Transmitted to Senate
Show 11 earlier actions
- Mar 25, 2026FloorReturned from Senate Passed; to JRA for Enrolling
- Mar 25, 2026FloorRead third time in full – PASSED - 33-0-2 AYES – Adams, Anthon, Bernt, Bjerke(Bjerke), Blaylock, Burtenshaw, Carlson, Cook, Den Hartog, Foreman, Galloway, Grow, Guthrie, Harris, Hart, Keyser, Kohl, Lakey, Lenney, Lent, Nichols, Okuniewicz, Rabe, Ricks, Ruchti, Semmelroth, Shippy, Taylor, Toews, VanOrden, Woodward, Zito, Zuiderveld NAYS – None Absent and excused – Ward-Engelking, Wintrow Floor Sponsor - Blaylock Title apvd - to House
- Mar 20, 2026Read second time; filed for Third Reading
- Mar 19, 2026Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation; Filed for second reading
- Mar 17, 2026IntroducedIntroduced, read first time; referred to: Agricultural Affairs
- Mar 17, 2026FloorReceived from the House passed; filed for first reading
- Mar 16, 2026FloorRules Suspended: Ayes 69 Nays 0 Abs/Excd 1, read in full as required – PASSED - 69-0-1 AYES – Alfieri, Barbieri, Beiswenger, Berch, Bingham, Boyle, Bruce, Burgoyne, Cannon, Cayler, Cheatum, Church, Cornilles, Crane(12), Crane(13), Dygert, Egbert, Ehardt, Ehlers, Erickson, Fuhriman, Furniss, Galaviz, Gannon, Garner, Green, Hall(Stone), Handy, Harris, Hawkins, Healey, Hill, Holtzclaw, Hostetler, Leavitt, Manwaring, Marmon, Mathias, McCann, Mendive, Mickelsen, Miller, Mitchell, Monks, Nelsen, Palmer, Petzke, Pickett, Pohanka, Price, Rasor, Raybould, Raymond, Redman, Rubel, Sauter, Scott, Shepherd, Shirts, Skaug(Chadwick), Tanner(13), Tanner(14), Thompson, Vander Woude, Veile, Weber, Wheeler, Wisniewski, Mr. Speaker NAYS – None Absent – Haws Floor Sponsor - Ehlers Title apvd - to Senate
- Mar 16, 2026Read second time; Filed for Third Reading
- Mar 13, 2026Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation, Filed for Second Reading
- Mar 5, 2026CommitteeReported Printed and Referred to Agricultural Affairs
- Mar 4, 2026IntroducedIntroduced, read first time, referred to JRA for Printing
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Transition to Federal Standards
The state repeals its own specific administrative rules on honey standards and replaces them with federal U.S. grade standards.
Connected Entities
Sources
legislature.idaho.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance60How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy15Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz20Current news / social attention level
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