House File 800 - Introduced



                                       HOUSE FILE       
                                       BY  COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL
                                           PROTECTION

                                       (SUCCESSOR TO HF 164)


    Passed House,  Date               Passed Senate, Date             
    Vote:  Ayes        Nays           Vote:  Ayes        Nays         
                 Approved                            

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act relating to the beverage container control laws.
  2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
  3 TLSB 1444HV 82
  4 tm/je/5

PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  Section 22.7, Code 2007, is amended by adding
  1  2 the following new subsection:
  1  3    NEW SUBSECTION.  58.  Information obtained by the
  1  4 department of natural resources pursuant to section 455C.17
  1  5 regarding individual distributor and brand information.
  1  6    Sec. 2.  Section 455C.2, subsection 2, Code 2007, is
  1  7 amended to read as follows:
  1  8    2.  In addition to the refund value provided in subsection
  1  9 1 of this section, a dealer, or person operating a redemption
  1 10 center who redeems empty beverage containers or a dealer agent
  1 11 shall be reimbursed by the distributor required to accept the
  1 12 empty beverage containers an amount which is one cent per
  1 13 container, unless a different amount is negotiated between the
  1 14 redemption centers of Iowa and an individual distributor.  If
  1 15 a different amount is negotiated, the negotiated amount shall
  1 16 apply to all approved and unapproved redemption centers for
  1 17 all empty beverage containers of the distributor.  A dealer,
  1 18 dealer agent, or person operating a redemption center may
  1 19 compact empty metal beverage containers with the approval of
  1 20 the distributor required to accept the containers.
  1 21    Sec. 3.  Section 455C.6, subsection 3, Code 2007, is
  1 22 amended to read as follows:
  1 23    3.  The department shall approve a redemption center if it
  1 24 finds that the redemption center will provide a convenient,
  1 25 safe, and accessible service to consumers for the return of
  1 26 empty beverage containers and if the redemption center
  1 27 provides a safe working environment for employees.  The order
  1 28 of the department approving a redemption center shall state
  1 29 the dealers to be served by the redemption center and the kind
  1 30 and brand names of empty beverage containers which the
  1 31 redemption center must accept.  The order may contain such
  1 32 other provisions to insure that the redemption center will
  1 33 provide a convenient service to the public as the director may
  1 34 determine.
  1 35    Sec. 4.  Section 455C.6, Code 2007, is amended by adding
  2  1 the following new subsection:
  2  2    NEW SUBSECTION.  6.  An approved redemption center may
  2  3 negotiate with a dealer and a distributor for terms of service
  2  4 including terms for payment for services.
  2  5    Sec. 5.  Section 455C.7, Code 2007, is amended to read as
  2  6 follows:
  2  7    455C.7  UNAPPROVED REDEMPTION CENTERS.
  2  8    Any person may establish a redemption center which has not
  2  9 been approved by the department, at which a consumer may
  2 10 return empty beverage containers and receive payment of the
  2 11 refund value of the beverage containers.  The establishment of
  2 12 an unapproved redemption center shall not relieve any dealer
  2 13 from the responsibility of redeeming any empty beverage
  2 14 containers of the kind and brand sold by the dealer.  A
  2 15 redemption center may negotiate with a dealer and a
  2 16 distributor for terms of service including terms for payment
  2 17 for services.
  2 18    Sec. 6.  NEW SECTION.  455C.17  BEVERAGE REDEMPTION DATA.
  2 19    1.  By January 31 of each year all distributors shall file
  2 20 an annual report with the department regarding the number of
  2 21 beverage containers distributed for sale during the previous
  2 22 calendar year and the number of beverage containers redeemed
  2 23 during the previous calendar year.  The report shall be
  2 24 submitted on forms provided by the department.
  2 25    2.  All individual distributor and brand information
  2 26 submitted on reports required by this section shall be
  2 27 considered confidential.
  2 28    3.  By February 15 of each year, the department shall
  2 29 submit a written report to the general assembly providing the
  2 30 aggregate number of beverage containers distributed for sale
  2 31 during the previous calendar year and the aggregate number of
  2 32 beverage containers redeemed during the previous calendar
  2 33 year.  The report shall also provide the same information by
  2 34 beverage type.
  2 35    Sec. 7.  NEW SECTION.  455C.18  BEVERAGE CONTAINER TASK
  3  1 FORCE.
  3  2    1.  The department shall convene a task force with one
  3  3 representative from each of the following:
  3  4    a.  The Iowa grocery industry association.
  3  5    b.  Redemption centers of Iowa.
  3  6    c.  Iowa wholesale beer distributors association.
  3  7    d.  The Iowa society of solid waste operations.
  3  8    e.  Iowa soft drink association.
  3  9    f.  The Iowa recycling association.
  3 10    g.  The Iowa environmental council.
  3 11    h.  The petroleum marketers and convenience stores of Iowa.
  3 12    i.  The Iowa chapter of the sierra club.
  3 13    2.  The chairperson and ranking member of the standing
  3 14 committee on environmental protection in the house of
  3 15 representatives and the chairperson and ranking member of the
  3 16 standing committee on natural resources and environment in the
  3 17 senate shall serve as ex officio, nonvoting members of the
  3 18 task force.
  3 19    3.  The task force shall study and consider all of the
  3 20 following:
  3 21    a.  Methods to increase the beverage container redemption
  3 22 rate.
  3 23    b.  Methods to increase the profitability of redemption
  3 24 centers.
  3 25    c.  The efficiency and costs associated with mandated,
  3 26 statewide, curbside recycling of empty beverage containers.
  3 27    d.  Methods to provide greater efficiencies in the current
  3 28 beverage container redemption system.
  3 29    4.  By January 1, 2010, the department shall submit to the
  3 30 governor and the general assembly a final report of the task
  3 31 force which shall include recommendations of the task force.
  3 32 The department shall also make the final report publicly
  3 33 available on the internet.
  3 34    5.  This section is repealed June 30, 2010.
  3 35                           EXPLANATION
  4  1    This bill relates to the beverage container control laws.
  4  2    The bill allows a handling fee that is different from the
  4  3 current 1 cent per container reimbursement amount if such an
  4  4 amount is negotiated between the redemption centers of Iowa
  4  5 and an individual distributor.  If a different amount is
  4  6 negotiated, the negotiated amount shall apply to all approved
  4  7 and unapproved redemption centers for all empty beverage
  4  8 containers of the distributor.
  4  9    In addition to other requirements for an approved
  4 10 redemption center, the bill requires the department of natural
  4 11 resources to find that a redemption center is safe and
  4 12 accessible and that the redemption center provides a safe
  4 13 working environment for employees.
  4 14    The bill provides that approved and unapproved redemption
  4 15 centers may negotiate with a dealer and a distributor for
  4 16 terms of service including terms for payment for services.
  4 17    The bill provides that, by January 31 of each year, all
  4 18 distributors shall file an annual report with the department
  4 19 regarding the number of beverage containers distributed for
  4 20 sale during the previous calendar year and the number of
  4 21 beverage containers redeemed during the previous calendar
  4 22 year.  The bill provides that individual distributor and brand
  4 23 information shall be kept confidential pursuant to Code
  4 24 chapter 22, unless ordered by a court, by the lawful custodian
  4 25 of the records, or by another person duly authorized to
  4 26 release such information.
  4 27    The bill requires the department to convene a task force to
  4 28 study and consider methods to increase the beverage container
  4 29 redemption rate, methods to increase the profitability of
  4 30 redemption centers, the efficiency and costs associated with
  4 31 mandated, statewide curbside recycling of empty beverage
  4 32 containers, and methods to provide greater efficiencies in the
  4 33 current beverage container redemption system.  The bill
  4 34 provides a reporting requirement for the task force and
  4 35 repeals the task force on June 30, 2010.
  5  1 LSB 1444HV 82
  5  2 tm:rj/je/5