Bill > AB987

Introduced Session

Current law requires the Department of Natural Resources to prepare educational materials about municipal and county solid waste management programs. This bill requires DNR to also prepare educational materials to inform the public about the dangers of rechargeable batteries in the waste and recycling streams and about existing options for properly recycling rechargeable batteries. The bill also requires DNR to provide grants to responsible units, municipalities, businesses, tribal governments, and nonprofit organizations for the purpose of expanding rechargeable battery collection and recycling operations, creating new sites for the collection or recycling of rechargeable batteries, purchasing rechargeable battery collection and shipping kits and equipment for handling damaged or defective rechargeable batteries, and transporting rechargeable batteries to third-party collection and recycling facilities. DNR may provide more than one grant to a single responsible unit, municipality, business, tribal government, or nonprofit organization; however, DNR may not provide a total amount of more than $20,000 to a single collection site. Under the bill, DNR must also provide grants to solid waste facilities and materials recovery facilities for the purpose of installing, upgrading, or expanding fire detection and suppression systems to address the increased risk of fire due to the presence of rechargeable batteries in the waste and recycling streams. DNR may provide more than one grant to a single solid waste facility or materials recovery facility; however, DNR may not provide a total amount of more than $50,000 to a single solid waste facility or materials recovery facility. In addition, current law provides an appropriation to DNR from the segregated environmental fund for various environmental programs and for the administration of this state's solid waste reduction, recovery, and recycling programs. The bill allows this appropriation to be used for the existing statewide program to educate government employees, businesses, and the general public about the dangers of rechargeable batteries in the waste and recycling streams and about existing options for proper recycling of such batteries. Finally, under the bill, DNR must submit a request to the Joint Committee on Finance for supplemental funding, not to exceed $10,000,000, for these purposes. For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Joel Kitchens (R)*,  Rob Cowles (R),  Cory Tomczyk (R), 

Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1 (on 04/15/2024)

Official Document