OHIO LEGISLATIVE SERVICE COMMISSION
Office of Research Legislative Budget
www.lsc.ohio.gov and Drafting Office
H.B. 162 ∗ Bill Analysis
135th General Assembly
Click here for H.B. 162’s Fiscal Note
Version: As Reported by S. Agriculture & Natural Resources
Primary Sponsors: Reps. Klopfenstein and Kick
Effective date:
Jeff Grim, Research Analyst
SUMMARY
Deputy apiarists
 Allows a board of county commissioners to appoint multiple deputy apiarists, rather than
only one as under current law.
Day and week designations
 Designates multiple special days and weeks.
 Entitles the act as the “Agriculture Appreciation Act.”
DETAILED ANALYSIS
Deputy apiarists
The bill allows a board of county commissioners to appoint multiple deputy apiarists
(beekeepers). Current law only allows a board to appoint a single deputy apiarist. A deputy
apiarist works under the direction of the Director of Agriculture and is responsible for enforcing
the Apiary Law in the county in which the deputy apiarist is appointed. 1
Day and week designations
The bill designates the following:
 March 21 of each year as “Agriculture Day”;
∗
This analysis was prepared before the report of the Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee
appeared in the Senate Journal. Note that the legislative history may be incomplete.
1
R.C. 909.07.
December 4, 2024
Office of Research and Drafting LSC Legislative Budget Office
 The week beginning on the Saturday before the last Saturday of each February through
the last Saturday in February as “FFA Week”;
 October 12 of each year as “Farmer’s Day”;
 The week ending with the second Saturday of March as “4-H Week”;
 The second full week of November as “Ohio Soil Health Week.”
The bill entitles the act as the “Agriculture Appreciation Act.” 2
HISTORY
Action Date
Introduced 05-01-23
Reported, H. Agriculture 05-16-23
Passed House (83-0) 10-11-23
Reported, S. Agriculture & Natural Resources --
ANHB0162RS-135/sb
2
R.C. 5.2410, 5.2411, 5.2412, 5.2413, and 5.268; Section 2.
P a g e |2 H.B. 162
As Reported by Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources