2009-10 Legislation
AB 7 (Evans) - Bottle Bill Budget Fix - Support
Summary: AB 7 will immediately restore roughly $15 million per month in core recyling funding under California's successful Bottle Bill. Funding was cut last July forcing the closure of hundreds of centers and the loss of several hundred 'green jobs'. AB 7 will immediately restore funding and prevent millions in further cuts to recyclers, local governments, conservation corps and other core components of California's successful Bottle Bill. Status: Signed on March 8, AB 7 is an urgency measure and will take effect immediately. AB 7 was in the eighth extraordinary session of the legislature (AB"X8" 7). Previously, AB 7 passed off the Assembly Floor Feb 25 with a 63-0 vote, passed out of Assembly Budget Committee on Feb 24 with a 24-0 vote, failed an Assembly floor vote February 22 48-1, passed off the Senate Floor February 18 with a 30-6 vote and was introduced February 12.
AB 68 (Brownley) - Offsetting the Costs of Single-Use Bag Litter - Support
Summary: Requires that consumers pay a $0.25 fee for single-use bags distributed at large grocery stores, pharmacies and convenience stores. Status: This bill died with the close of the legislative session. Previously, the bill passed out of Asm NR April 13 with a 6-3 vote.
AB 87 (Davis) - Offsetting the Costs of Single-Use Bag Litter - Support
Summary: Requires that consumers pay a $0.25 fee for single-use bags distributed at large grocery stores, pharmacies and convenience stores. Status: This bill died with the close of the legislative session. Previously, the bill passed out of Asm NR April 13 with a 6-3 vote.
AB 147 (Saldaña) - Consumer Electronics Toxics Reporting Requirement - Sponsor
Summary: Authorizes DTSC to request documentation from electronics manufacturers about the amount of hazardous materials contained in the consumer electronics they offer for sale in the State. Status: AB 147 has passed both houses of the legislature but was vetoed by the Governor. Read the VETO message.
AB 222 (Adams) Bio-Refineries / Conversion Technologies - Neutral
Summary: AB 222 (Adams) was amended on July 15th to no longer give diversion and RPS credit to waste-to-energy. technologies. Previous version of the bill would have allowed controversial and environmentally-unproven waste-to-energy technologies to count as “recycling” under the state’s landmark recycling law (even though they destroy resources) and to count as “renewable” under the state’s renewable energy law (even though they generate electricity from fossil sources and recyclable materials). The bill would have also eliminate existing environmental protections in statute that prohibit a solid waste conversion facility from emitting air and water pollution. Status: CAW is neutral on the bill as amended on 7/15/10, but had been strongly opposed to previous versions of the bill. This bill died with the close of the legislative session. AB 222 passed the Senate Environmental Quality Committee and was awaiting a hearing on the Senate floor. It previously passed the Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee, as well as the Assembly Policy and Fiscal Committees.
AB 283 (Chesbro) - Extended Producer Responsibility - Support
Summary: Would implement an Extended Producer Responsibility program in California that would require manufacturers increase the recyclability, and recycling, of their products, as well as reduce toxicity. Status: AB 283 was held under submission in ASM Appropriations.
AB 473 (Blumenfield) - Multifamily Recycling - Support
Summary: Provides a residential recycling opportunity for more than 7.1 million Californians residing in more than 2.4 million multifamily dwelling units. Status: AB 473 was vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger on Oct. 11. AB 473 previously has passed both houses of the legislature, as well as the Assembly and Senate Policy and Fiscal Committees.
AB 737 (Chesbro) - Solid Waste Diversion - Support
Summary: AB 737 would expand recycling to every multi-family dwelling and commercial business in California and direct the state come up with a plan to reach a 75% diversion rate. Status: AB 737 was vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger Sep 28. View the veto message. It previously passed the policy and fiscal committees in the Assembly and Senate.
AB 903 (Chesbro) - Compostable Bags - Support
Summary: AB 903 requires that compostable bags carry a unique label that will readily distinguish them from non-compostable bags. Status: This bill died with the close of the legislative session.
AB 925 (Saldaña) - Bottle Caps - Support
Summary: Requires bottle caps be attached to the container and be recyclable. Status: This bill died with the close of the legislative session. Previously, the bill passed out of Sen EQ July 6 with a 4-2 vote, off the Assembly Floor May 4 with a 42-34 vote, and passed out of Asm NR April 20 with a 6-3 vote.
AB 1141 (Calderon) - Carryout Bags - Oppose
Summary: AB 1141 would have required manufacturers of plastic bags to pay a $0.001 per-bag fee, but would have denied the proceeds of this fee to cities that have banned any single-use bag and also would have required cities that have banned single-use bags to provide alternative single-use bags at no cost. Status: AB 1141 was held in Asm Natural Resources April 20.
AB 1173 (Huffman) - Fluorescent Lamp Toxics Reduction and Recycling Act - Sponsor
Summary: Creates a free and convenient program for consumers to properly dispose of residential fluorescent lights (RFL). Status: AB 1173 was vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger on Oct 11. Read veto message. passed through the Assembly and Senate. Now, to the Governor's Desk.
AB 1329 (Brownley & Chesbro) - Delay of CIWMB Abolition - Support
Summary: AB 1329 (Brownley and Chesbro) would delay the abolition of the California Integrated Waste Management Board for 1 year to allow more time to plan the details of this transition. Status: This bill died with the close of the legislative session.
AB 1343 (Huffman) - Paint Recovery Act - Sponsor
Summary: This measure will require paint manufacturers to develop and implement a program to collect, transport, and process postconsumer paint to reduce the costs and environmental impacts of the disposal of postconsumer paint in this state. Status: AB 1343 was signed by Governor Schwarzenegger Sep 28. View the implementation effort. It previously passed the policy and fiscal committees in the Assembly and Senate. This was a 2-year bill.
AB 1358 (Hill) Polystyrene Food Packaging Ban - Support
Summary: Bans the use of expanded polystyrene food packaging. Status: This bill died with the close of the legislative session. Previously, the bill passed out of Asm APPR May 28 with a 9-5 vote and out of Asm NR April 27 with a 6-3 vote.
AB 1998 (Brownley) - Plastic Bag Ban - Support
Summary: AB 1998 reduces plastic litter pollution and increases reusable bag use by banning plastic bags at grocery stores, pharmacies, convenience stores and similar stores. Status: Press Release: AB 1998 Fails Passage. The bill failed to pass off the Senate Floor, receiving a 14-21 vote Aug 31. Previously, the bill was voted out of Senate Appropriations Committee with a 7-3 vote Aug 31, passed out of Senate Environmental Quality Committee on June 28 with a 5-2 vote, passed off the Assembly Floor on Jun 2 with a 42-27 vote, passed out of Assembly Appropriations Committee on May 28 with a 11-5 vote, passed out of assembly Natural Resources Committee on April 12 and was introduced Feb 18.
AB 2137 (Chesbro) Compost Labeling - Support
Summary: AB 2137 would allow composters to continue the longstanding practice of providing certified lab analyses showing the nutrient contents of their product to their customers, pending the completion of CDFA’s evaluation of the proper regulatory standards for this material. Status: This bill died with the close of the legislative session.
AB 2139 (Chesbro) Product Stewardship Framework - Support
Summary: Requires producers of covered products to participate in a product stewardship program, under a plan approved by CalRecycle. The Department will recommend a consumer product be included as a covered product, if the product has one or more of the following impacts: 1) it poses a significant threat to public health and safety when disposed; or 2) poses a threat of increased greenhouse gas emissions; and or 3) imposes significant end-of-life management costs on state or local government. Status: AB 2139 died on the Assembly floor 30-31 vote. Previously, it passed Assembly Environmental Safety & Toxic Materials Com 4/13 and Natural Resources Committee on 4/19. AB 2139 passed out of Asm Appropriations.
AB 2176 (Blumenfield) California Lighting Toxics Reduction and Recycling Bill - Support
Summary: Product stewardship for mercury containing lamps and fee on lamps that don’t contain mercury, and are deemed less efficient. Status: AB 2176 passed Assembly Environmental Safety & Toxic Materials Committee but was held in Assembly Appropriations Committee.
AB 2398 (John A. Pérez) - Carpet Product Stewardship - Support
Summary: Requires producers of carpet to participate in a product stewardship program, under a plan approved by CalRecycle. This bill now has the support of the recyclers, carpet manufacturers, local governments, and environmental groups. Status: This bill passed the legislature and was signed by the Governor on September 30, establishing the nation's first comprehensive and industry-financed carpet recycling program. It previously passed the policy and fiscal committees in the Assembly and Senate.
AB 2718 (Adams) Reducing Opportunities to Recycle - Oppose
Summary: AB 2718 (Adams) would reduce opportunities to recycle by exempting supermarkets from current requirements to redeem beverage containers in-store if the supermarket is unserved by a recycling center. Status: This bill died with the close of the legislative session. AB 2718 was introduced Feb 19.
SB 25 (Padilla) - Solid Waste Diversion - Support
Summary: Requires the California Integrated Waste Management Board to adopt policies, programs, and incentives to increase statewide waste diversion to 75%. Status: This bill died with the close of the legislative session. It passed the Senate floor, but was not heard in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee before the legislative deadline. Previously, the bill passed the Senate Appropriations Committee and the Senate Environmental Quality Committee.
SB 44 (Denham) Abolish the California Integrated Waste Management Board - Oppose
Summary: SB 44 would abolish the California Integrated Waste Management Board. Status: This bill died with the close of the legislative session.
SB 55 (Corbett) - Container Recycling - Support
Summary: Addresses Bottle Bill funding. Status: This bill died with the close of the legislative session. Portions of SB 55 were amended into SB 402. The bill passed out of Asm NR Jul 6 with a 9-0 vote, off the Senate Floor May 28 with a 29-4 vote and out of Sen EQ April 20 with a 5-2 vote.
SB 402 (Wolk) Strengthening California's Bottle Bill - Support
Summary: Balances the Bottle Bill Fund by ending program exemptions and decreasing the 10 cent CRV threshold to 20 ounces from 24 ounces, ending the exemption given to non-bottle-and-can beverage containers, and other measures. Status: SB 402 was vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger on Oct 11. Read veto message and CAW response. Previously, SB 402 received a 58-16 vote in the Assembly and a 22-14 vote in the Senate and a 8-0 vote in Assembly Natural Resources on Sep 11.
SB 531 (DeSaulnier) - Carryout Bags
Summary: SB 531 adds details to pre-existing plastic bag manufacturer obligations regarding recycling education. Status: This bill died with the close of the legislative session. Previously, the bill passed out of Sen APPR May 18 with a 8-3 vote and out of Sen EQ April 27 with a 5-2 vote.
SB 546 (Lowenthal) - Used Motor Oil Recycling Act - Support
Summary: SB 546 increase the recycling incentive and also set a rerefining incentive for used motor oil. This bill will also streamline the process for recycling grants, and generally, bring program revenues and expenditures back into balance. Status: SB 546 was signed by Governor Schwarzenegger on Oct 11.
SB 723 (DeSaulnier) - E-waste Payment Adjustment - Support
Summary: SB 723 would authorize the CIWMB to adjust E-waste Collector and Recycler payments annually, rather than every two years. Status: This bill died with the close of the legislative session.
SB 803 (DeSaulnier) - Plastic Packaging - Support
Summary: Directs CIWMB to reduce the volume of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) packaging 50% beginning 2011. Status: This bill died with the close of the legislative session.
SB 920 (Yee) - Phone Book Opt-Out - Support
Summary: SB 920 will help reduce waste and consumer utility costs while conserving resources and protecting the environment by making it easier for consumers to opt-out of receiving unwanted directories. Status: SB 920 died on the senate floor, with a 12-18 vote. It previously passed Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee 4/20/10 and passed Senate Appropriations with 6-4 vote. Take ACTION! Send a support letter for SB 920
SB 1052 (Oropeza) E-waste Reporting Requirement - Support
Summary: Requires state agencies to adopt an electronic waste management plan and submit that plan to DTSC for approval. Status: SB 1052 passed Senate Environmental Quality Committee but was held in Senate Appropriations.
SB 1100 (Corbett) Household Battery Recycling Bill - Support
Summary: Product stewardship for household batteries. Status: This bill died with the closing of the 2009-10 legislative session. SB 1100 was heard in the Asm Approps Committee and placed on suspense. Previously, it passed Senate Environmental Quality Committee, and Senate Appropriations. It passed Senate Floor 23-10.
SB 1454 (DeSaulnier) - Truthful Environmental Advertising in Plastics - Support
Summary: SB 1454 expands the scope of current plastic end-of-life claim labeling requirements from bags and food packaging to all plastic products. SB 1454 prevents consumer deception by tying end-of-life claims to pass/fail technical standards (called “ASTM standard specifications”) and explicitly prohibits inherently misleading and dishonest claims, like “biodegradable”. Status: SB 1454 was vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger Sep 28.
AB 2138 (Chesbro) Plastic Ocean Pollution Reduction, Recycling and Composting Act - Support
Summary: Requires food providers to use only recyclable or compostable take-out food packaging and bags. Status: AB 2138 was held in Assembly Appropriations committee. Previously, the bill passed Assembly Natural Resources Committee April 12 and was introduced February 18.