Senate approves temporary fee to shore up bottle‑redemption centers as producer responsibility plan is set up

The state Senate voted to approve H.0915, a measure that temporarily adjusts handling fees tied to the bottle‑redemption system to help keep redemption centers operating while a producer responsibility organization (PRO) is established.

Sponsors and supporters said the change is intended as a short‑term bridge to a new, self‑funding system run by beverage producers and distributors. "So the 4 and a half cents is only temporary," said Lawmaker (S3), summarizing the bill's temporary handling‑fee provision. The sponsor added the PRO would eventually negotiate compensation and convenience standards for redemption centers.

The bill does not change the five‑cent consumer deposit and does not expand the types of containers covered, the sponsor said. The measure includes convenience requirements for the PRO, such as minimum numbers of redemption sites per county and in towns of 7,000 or more, and authorizes initial grants drawn from money now directed to the Clean Water Fund to help centers purchase technology like automated sorting machines.

Members pressing the measure noted practical burdens on consumers, especially in rural areas. "I've got to go six miles to some place to get rid of my bottles…and stand in line and waste typically about 40 minutes," said Lawmaker (S2), who urged clearer accounting of transportation and time costs for residents. The sponsor said machine counting and improved drop‑off options tied to an app could reduce errors and lines.

The record also contains a statement attributed to the presiding officer: "we're going to pay the redemption centers a penny more because they haven't gotten a raise in 17 years," emphasizing a near‑term increase in compensation for centers, even as broader funding shifts to the PRO model.

Supporters framed the change as necessary to prevent closures: lawmakers repeatedly warned that some redemption centers are at risk of going out of business without interim help. Lawmaker (S4) said they would "vote for this" as a temporary measure but suggested future focus on electronic waste programs rather than expanding bottle deposits.

The sponsor told members the PRO implementation timeline is specified in the bill and cited a statutory implementation date for a state stewardship plan beginning "03/01/2029." After debate, a motion to pass H.0915 was made on the floor and approved; the Chair announced the bill's approval and a roll call was conducted. The record includes at least two recorded 'No' votes (Senator Shea and Senator Brock). The measure was reported by the Senate Natural Resources committee and approved on the floor.

Next steps: the bill will proceed according to the Senate's legislative process (the sponsor noted the PRO must be established under the bill's timeline), and the temporary handling fee would be phased out once the PRO is fully functioning according to the bill's schedule.