BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �




                   Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
                           Senator Christine Kehoe, Chair

                                          AB 960 (Lowenthal)
          
          Hearing Date: 08/25/2011        Amended: 05/27/2011
          Consultant: Brendan McCarthy    Policy Vote: EQ 4-2
          _________________________________________________________________
          ____
          BILL SUMMARY: AB 960 requires exporters of electronic waste or 
          covered electronic devices to demonstrate to the Department of 
          Toxic Substances Control that the electronic waste will be 
          handled in compliance with local laws where the waste is 
          imported.
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          ____
                            Fiscal Impact (in thousands)

           Major Provisions         2011-12      2012-13       2013-14     Fund
           
          Enforcement by the     Ongoing costs of about $500 per 
          yearSpecial *          
             Department of Toxic 
             Substances Control

          * Electronic Waste Recycling and Recovery Account.
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          ____

          STAFF COMMENTS: SUSPENSE FILE. AS PROPOSED TO BE AMENDED.
          
          Under current law, certain "covered electronic devices" are 
          included in the state's electronic waste program. Generally, 
          covered electronic devices are those that have a screen larger 
          than four inches. When a consumer purchases a covered electronic 
          device, he or she pays a fee to the state, from $6 to $10 per 
          device. Revenues from this fee are used to support companies 
          that collect and recycle these devices. Also under current law, 
          companies that export covered electronic devices are required to 
          demonstrate that the covered electronic devices will then be 
          imported and handled according to local laws and international 
          guidelines. The program is overseen by the Department of 
          Resources Recovery and Recycling.

          AB 960 requires exporters of any electronic waste (defined more 
          broadly than covered electronic devices) to demonstrate to the 








          AB 960 (Lowenthal)
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          Department of Toxic Substances Control (Department) that the 
          electronic waste will be imported and handled according to local 
          laws where the waste is imported and international guidelines on 
          the export of electronic waste.

          In addition, the bill requires companies that are paid 
          incentives for collecting and recycling covered electronic 
          devices to demonstrate that any exported covered electronic 
          devices will be imported according to local laws where the waste 
          is imported and international guidelines.

          The bill requires the Department of Toxic Substances Control to 
          adopt regulations to provide guidance for the proper export of 
          components of electronic waste.

          The Department indicates that it will incur significant costs to 
          develop regulations, guidelines, instructional materials for 
          exporters, and to enforce the provisions of the bill. The 
          Department indicates that costs are likely to be about $750,000 
          per year.

          The proposed author's amendments make a variety of changes to 
          the bill to simplify its implementation, reducing costs.