HSB 252

Under current law, a consumer may return an empty beverage container upon which a refund value has been paid to a dealer or a redemption center. When a distributor collects empty beverage containers from a dealer, dealer agent, or redemption center, the distributor reimburses the dealer, dealer agent, or redemption center the refund value plus a 1-cent handling fee for each empty beverage container. Current law also allows any person to establish a redemption center that serves a dealer if it is approved by the department of natural resources. Any person can also establish an unapproved redemption center. Under this bill, a dealer may choose to not accept beverage containers if the dealer enters into a contract with a dealer agent or redemption center who will accept beverage containers on the dealer’s behalf. A dealer may only enter such contract with a redemption center if the dealer’s place of business is in a county with a population of more than 30,000 and within miles of the redemption center or if the dealer’s place of business is in a county with a population of 30,000 or fewer and within miles of the redemption center. The bill amends the definition of “dealer agent” so that a dealer agent is not limited to soliciting or picking up empty beverage containers from a dealer. The bill allows a person to establish a redemption center by providing notice to the department. The bill also requires each beverage container to have a registered universal product code in a format required by the department. The bill creates civil enforcement procedures and penalties for a violation of the provisions of the bill, including a civil penalty of up to $2,500. _____ remove obsolete language, and stylistically and grammatically update the Code chapter. The bill takes effect July 1, 2023.