Assembly committee votes on Beverage Container Refund Value Increase -passes 8-4 with CRV increase.
California’s Senate Bill 23, authored by Senator Byron Sher, which was re-scheduled for hearing in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee on August 28, passed with an author’s amendment to increase the refund value.
Senate Bill 23 was amended on Aug. 23 to increase the refund value on beverage containers to 4 cents (8 cents on larger containers), with an automatic step up to 5 cents (and 10 cents for larger containers), if recycling rates fail to reach 80 percent recycling. (To view the amended version of SB 23 click here)
SB 23 previously contained a provision that would have doubled the refund value on beverage containers from 2.5 cents per container to 5 cents (10 cents on containers 24 ounces and larger). This provision was amended out of the bill in the Senate Appropriations Committee in June.
The Assembly Natural Resources Committee Analysis suggested reinstating the language to increase the refund value.
The current language in the bill as well implements a settlement agreement regarding processing payments resulting from a lawsuit that CAW won against
the Department of Conservation.
SB 23 now moves to the Assembly appropriation Committee and a hearing is expected in the next week.