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Senate amends tire recycling bill; fee and reimbursement levels negotiated on floor
Summary
Senators debated House Bill 117 (tire recycling), including fee increases and reimbursement levels to keep recycling viable; the floor adopted an amendment setting certain partial reimbursements at $50 per ton and advanced the bill to third reading.
The Senate debated House Bill 117 on March 2, 1999, a broad set of amendments addressing waste tire definitions, registration, reimbursement schedules, and a proposed fee increase intended to sustain the state’s waste tire fund.
Sponsor Senator Wadips described numerous technical changes (definitions for "crumb rubber," passenger-tire equivalents, registration thresholds) and proposed raising the per-tire fee from current levels to stabilize the fund. Under questioning, sponsors said the existing restricted waste-tire fund was being depleted and an increase to roughly 85¢ per tire would help sustain operations for several years.
Floor amendments focused on partial reimbursement rates for recyclers. Senator Allen moved to reduce a proposed $65 per-ton partial reimbursement to $45 (arguing lower costs would still be viable). After debate and a subsequent compromise motion, the Senate adopted an amendment setting the partial reimbursement to $50 per ton (both page/line specifics were placed on the bill record by the clerk). Supporters argued the $50 compromise preserves local recycling businesses while improving fund solvency; opponents warned that too low a rate risks sending tires to landfills instead of keeping recycling businesses viable.
The Senate placed HB117 on the third-reading calendar after the amendment votes. Sponsors and members asked DEQ and staff to provide further financial detail to ensure the fee schedule keeps recycling economically viable.
Next steps: HB117 moves to third reading for final passage; follow-up requested on fund projections and DEQ administration guidance.
