Nevada
2011 deposit-refund bill
What began as a bill for a deposit law was amended to be a study bill, which passed in June.
| Bill Number and Name | Assembly Bill 427 / Senate Bill 389 |
|---|---|
| Primary Sponsor | Assemblyman James Ohrenschall / Senate Committee on Natural Resources |
| Beverages Covered | beer and other malt beverages, mineral water, soda water and similar carbonated soft drinks |
| Containers Covered | glass, metal or plastic or any combination |
| Deposits | 5¢ |
| Handling Fees | 1¢, paid by distributor or bottler to dealer |
| Reclamation System | Return to retail |
| Unredeemed Deposits | Property of the Division of Environmental Protection |
Details
Deposit bill
Beverage containers are exempted from the deposit if they are sold and drunk in a restaurant, bar, casino, or resort, with a recycling program on premises, or if they are sold for use on an interstate transportation vessel.
Upon pickup of redeemed containers, distributors pay a 1¢ handling fee to dealers, and are in turn paid the handling fee by the bottler.
Every dealer must maintain a Deposit Transaction Account where they are to keep all the money they receive through the deposit system, and report on the activity in the account to the Division of Environmental Protection. Abandoned deposits must be remitted monthly to the Division of Environmental Protection. These funds are to be used for recycling and recycling education programs.
In support of the Nevada bill, the Container Recycling Institute produced "Moving Recycling Forward in Nevada" [pdf], a policy document illustrating the economic and environmental of a deposit-refund system for beverage containers in the state.
Study bill
The Assembly Bill was amended twice in the House. The first amendment made some changes to the proposed deposit system. The second amendment changed the entire scope of the bill, to enact an interim study of a possible deposit system. The text of the bill after both amendments is included in AB 427: As Enrolled
The study will be conducted by 3 senators and 3 Assembly members. Rather than confining the deposit system to just beverage containers, the committee is encouraged to consider a deposit on any and all recyclable materials. They are also directed to study additional ways of encouraging recycling.
Progress
March 21, 2011: Assembly bill 1st reading. Referred to Committee on Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Mining
March 28, 2011: Senate Bill 1st reading. Referred to Committee on Natural Resources
April 5, 2011: Assembly bill hearing. No action taken.
April 16, 2011: Senate bill died (All further progress notes refer to AB 427)
April 20, 2011: Assembly bill read second time. Amended. (Amend. No. 297.) Rereferred to Committee on Ways and Means.
June 5, 2011: Read third time. Amended. (Amend. No. 917.) Passed and referred to Senate and then to Senate Committee on Legislative Operations and Elections.
June 6, 2011: Committee recommended passage and declaration of an emergency measure. Read third time. Passed. Sent to Assembly and enrollment
June 16, 2011: Enrolled and delivered to Governor. Governor signed