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Committee advances bill to shift solid waste tax revenue into SCORE recycling grants
Summary
The House Tax Committee laid out House File 13 59, a bill to redirect more of the state's solid waste management tax revenue to SCORE recycling grants, the author told the committee.
The House Tax Committee laid out House File 13 59, a bill that would reallocate more revenue from the state's solid waste management tax to SCORE grants, the bill's author said during committee testimony.
Representative M. Johnson presented the bill as the SCORE recycling bill, saying it would shift the remaining portion of the solid waste management tax currently going to the general fund back to its original purpose of funding county waste management programs and SCORE grants.
"Currently, 27% of the solid waste management tax revenue is going into the general fund. I believe all the revenue from this tax should be used to manage our waste problems as was originally intended when the tax was created," Representative M. Johnson said. She described SCORE grants as the state's primary source of support for county waste-management activities and noted the county share of program costs.
County officials and waste-industry coalitions offered testimony supporting the bill. Kevin Papp, a Blue Earth County Commissioner, said SCORE funding helps operate county recycling centers and that Blue Earth County's recycling rate of 45% exceeds state targets. "Additional SCORE funding could provide for increased and new material management efforts, be utilized to improve hazardous waste diversion, and further education," Papp said.
Fran Mieron, Washington County Commissioner and chair of the Partnership on Waste and Energy, told the committee counties divert millions of tons of waste and that state funding has not kept pace with local expense. "Counties are doing their best to make it work but costs continue to increase and funding fall short of the need," Mieron said. She described nearly 60,000 visitors to one county environmental center in 2024 and said returned reuse value exceeded the SCORE dollars received for that county.
Nonpartisan staff told members that 70% of the solid waste tax currently goes to the environment fund and that 3% of that amount is dedicated to SCORE grants. County witnesses said approximately $31.7 million (about 27% of revenue) goes to the general fund and argued that money should be used for waste-management purposes instead.
Representative M. Johnson renewed her motion to lay out House File 13 59 for possible inclusion in the omnibus tax bill; the committee voice vote prevailed. Members asked for follow-up information on what SCORE grants fund, how litter-prevention activities are categorized, and whether other agencies (for example, MnDOT or the Department of Corrections) can receive SCORE funds; nonpartisan staff and county witnesses offered to follow up with details.
Votes at a glance: House File 13 59 ' Motion: lay out for possible inclusion in omnibus tax bill. Mover: Representative M. Johnson. Outcome: laid out for possible inclusion (motion prevailed by voice vote).
