Maryland 2011 bill text
House Bill 640
Task Force to Study Required Deposits on Returnable Beverage Containers
The following text was found at http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/bills/hb/hb0640f.pdf
AN ACT concerning 1
Task Force to Study Required Deposits on Returnable Beverage Containers 2
FOR the purpose of establishing the Task Force to Study Required Deposits on 3 Returnable Beverage Containers in the State; providing for the membership of 4 the Task Force; requiring the Governor to designate the chair of the Task Force; 5 requiring the Task Force to study certain issues relevant to requiring deposits 6 on returnable beverage containers in the State; requiring the Task Force to 7 report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the General 8 Assembly on or before a certain date; providing for reimbursement for expenses 9 for a member of the Task Force; providing for the staff of the Task Force; 10 providing for the termination of this Act; and generally relating to the 11 establishment of the Task Force to Study Required Deposits on Returnable 12 Beverage Containers in the State. 13
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF 14 MARYLAND, That: 15
(a) There is a Task Force to Study Required Deposits on Returnable 16 Beverage Containers in the State. 17
(b) The Task Force consists of the following members: 18
(1) three members of the Senate of Maryland, appointed by the 19 President of the Senate; 20
(2) three members of the House of Delegates, appointed by the 21 Speaker of the House; and 22
(3) three county or municipal officials who have experience handling 23 recyclable materials, appointed by the Governor. 24 2 HOUSE BILL 640
(c) The Governor shall designate the chair of the Task Force. 1
(d) The Department of the Environment and the Department of Legislative 2 Services jointly shall provide staff for the Task Force. 3
(e) A member of the Task Force: 4
(1) may not receive compensation as a member of the Task Force; but 5
(2) is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard 6 State Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget. 7
(f) The Task Force shall study: 8
(1) the costs, benefits, and feasibility of requiring deposits on 9 returnable beverage containers in the State, including the effect this requirement 10 would have on litter control and recycling activities; 11
(2) how other states have implemented similar legislation, familiarly 12 known as bottle bills, and how effective this legislation has been in reducing litter and 13 increasing rates of recycling; 14
(3) how to most effectively integrate a bottle bill into the current 15 statewide recycling program; 16
(4) issues related to the establishment and operation of recyclable 17 container redemption centers, including the optimum number and locations for these 18 centers; 19
(5) mechanisms to defray the operating and capital costs to local 20 governments of implementing a bottle bill; 21
(6) the types of containers that should be subject to a bottle bill; 22
(7) the financial and operational effects of a bottle bill on State 23 retailers, especially in light of the experiences of other states; and 24
(8) any other issue that the Task Force considers relevant to the policy 25 of requiring deposits on returnable beverage containers in the State. 26
(g) On or before December 31, 2011, the Task Force shall report its findings 27 and recommendations to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2–1246 of the State 28 Government Article, the General Assembly. 29
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 30 June 1, 2011. It shall remain effective for a period of 7 months and, at the end of 31 December 31, 2011, with no further action required by the General Assembly, this Act 32 shall be abrogated and of no further force and effect.
