Legislators will discuss and consider a number of bills of interest to AOR's members. This update includes an overview of legislation that AOR's board will work to support or oppose in the coming weeks after considering recommendations from AOR's legislative committee.
AOR Support:
Right to repair -- HB 2688 -- Support
Lawmakers in Indiana and Washington are evaluating proposals that would shift end-of-life packaging management responsibilities from municipalities to product producers.
The Product Stewardship Institute (PSI), which promotes extended producer responsibility (EPR) programs nationwide, tied the recent legislative interest directly to current recycling market disruptions.
New legislation proposed by the Washington state Department of Ecology hopes to address some of those deficiencies in regional recycling and solid waste management. The ultimate goal is to attract more businesses to recycle and use materials in the state, and offer state help for waste managers at the county and city level as they better plan for how to manage the stuff they collect.
The 2019 Oregon Legislative session begins January 22 and will likely include discussion of many issues of interest to AOR’s members. The legislative committee began review of legislative concepts in November. This update includes a summary of recent committee meetings and information about open positions on the committee and how to apply for those positions.
A California lawmaker introduced legislation this week that would make the state the first to bar retailers from giving out printed receipts unless a customer requests them.
The proposed measure — Assembly Bill 161 — would require stores to use electronic receipts as the default option. Stores that give out printed receipts without first being asked by the customer could be subject to fines. If passed, the bill could have implications far beyond California, according to experts.
The Oregon Legislature is reportedly mulling to enforce a statewide ban on plastic straws and a tax on plastic bags.
From Recycling Today by Kelly Maile
Surya Raghavendran of Ann Arbor, Michigan isn’t your average 17-year-old. Not only does the high school senior run a small business repairing iPhones when he’s not in class, but he’s raising awareness about people’s right to fix their own devices without paying companies like Apple exorbitant fees.
AOR Legislative Chair, Pam Peck, provided testimony at the Senate Energy and Environment Committee Hearing regarding recycling markets challenges and how local communities are responding.
The California Resource Recovery Association (CRRA) recently put out a call to action to its members regarding three pieces of legislation that are facing steep opposition as they head to the Assembly Floor next week.
