BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 1359 Page 1 Date of Hearing: January 9, 2012 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES Wesley Chesbro, Chair AB 1359 (Skinner) - As Amended: January 4, 2012 SUBJECT : Solid waste: beverage containers: fiberglass SUMMARY : This bill makes numerous technical and clarifying changes to the Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act (Bottle Bill). EXISTING LAW : 1)Requires the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) to establish reporting periods of six months each for redemption rates and recycling rates for specified types of beverage containers. 2)Requires CalRecycle to determine the redemption rates and recycling rates for those beverage containers for each reporting period and to issue a report on those determinations. THIS BILL : 1)Makes numerous technical and clarifying changes to the Bottle Bill, including correcting code references and deleting obsolete provisions. 2)Deletes provisions that require the establishment of reporting periods and calculations for redemption rates for beverage containers. 3)Clarifies that a beverage manufacturer may make a single annual payment of processing fees if the projected processing fees are less than $15,000 for the calendar year, without regard to the refund value. FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown COMMENTS : According to the author, this bill removes obsolete calculation and reporting requirements. The requirement for calculating both recycling and redemption rates for aluminum, glass, plastic, and other container materials has been in AB 1359 Page 2 statute for years. Recycling rates measure containers included in the Bottle Bill, and redemption rates have calculations that include containers that are not included in the Bottle Bill. The redemption rate was used in the early years of the program as a trigger for higher fees, but that trigger was removed in 1999. The remaining recycling rate calculation is adequate to determine the numbers and types of containers returned for recycling. This bill also corrects numerous references and repeals obsolete language. AB 1359 Page 3 REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION : Support None on file Opposition None on file Analysis Prepared by : Elizabeth MacMillan / NAT. RES. / (916) 319-2092