An Act to Increase the Handling Fee for Beverage Containers Reimbursed to Dealers and Redemption Centers
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 0134
Committee Amendment CA_A_S34 (Senate)
Amends: 38 MRSA §3106

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ") " to S.P. 73, L.D. 134, "An Act to Increase the 
Handling Fee for Beverage Containers Reimbursed to Dealers and Redemption Centers" 
Amend the bill by inserting after the title and before the enacting clause the following: 
'Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, the State's successful beverage container redemption program protects 
public health and safety by preventing litter from polluting water sources and spreading 
disease and by reducing air and water contamination caused by the burning of containers 
in a waste-to-energy facility or the disposal of containers in a landfill; and 
Whereas, Maine residents rely on beverage container redemption centers as a 
convenient option for redeeming container refunds, which many residents use to support 
their household budgets; and 
Whereas, redemption centers are struggling to address increased system costs due to 
inflation and other factors, which have forced many redemption centers to reduce hours or 
close, while at the same time, recent increased demands for redemption services are 
overwhelming redemption centers still in operation; and 
Whereas, necessary operational changes to streamline the beverage container 
redemption program cannot be implemented in sufficient time to address the current cost 
and demand issues overwhelming redemption centers now and in the near future; and 
Whereas, an immediate increase in the handling fee paid by initiators of deposit to 
redemption centers and an additional future increase in that fee, as provided in this 
legislation, are necessary to prevent further redemption center closures; and 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
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therefore,' 
Page I - 131LR0197(02) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
ROS 
coMM1rrEE AMENDMENT" A ,, 1o s.P. 13, L.D. 134 { s-?, '1 ~ 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and inserting the 
following: 
'Sec. 1. 38 MRSA §3106, sub-§7, as amended by PL 2019, c. 526, §7, is further 
amended to read: 
7. Reimbursement of handling costs. Reimbursement of handling costs is governed 
by this subsection. 
A. In addition to the payment of the refund value, the initiator of the deposit under 
section 3103, subsections 1, 2 and 4 shall reimburse the dealer or redemption center 
for the cost of handling beverage containers subject to section 3103, in an amount that 
equals at least 3 ¢ per returned container for containers picked up by the initiator before 
March 1, 2004, at least 3 1/2¢ for containers picked up on or after March 1, 2004 and 
before March 1, 2010, at least 4¢ for containers picked up on or after March 1, 2010 
and before January 1, 2020 aoo~ at least 4 1/2¢ for containers picked up on or after 
January 1, 2020 and before May 1, 2023, at least 5 1/2¢ for containers picked up on or 
after May 1, 2023 and before September 1, 2023 and at least 6¢ for containers picked 
up on or after September 1, 2023. The initiator of the deposit may reimburse the dealer 
or redemption center directly or indirectly through a party with which it has entered 
into a commingling agreement. 
B. In addition to the payment of the refund value, the initiator of the deposit under 
section 3103, subsection 3 shall reimburse the dealer or redemption center for the cost 
of handling beverage containers subject to section 3103 in an amount that equals at 
least 3 ¢ per returned container for containers picked up by the initiator before March 
1, 2004, at least 3 1/2¢ for containers picked up on or after March 1, 2004 and before 
March 1, 2010, at least 4¢ for containers picked up on or after March 1, 2010 and before 
January 1, 2020 aoo~ at least 4 1/2¢ for containers picked up on or after January 1, 2020 
and before May 1, 2023, at least 5 1/2¢ for containers picked up on or after May 1, 
2023 and before September 1, 2023 and at least 6¢ for containers picked up on or after 
September 1, 2023. The initiator of the deposit may reimburse the dealer or redemption 
center directly or indirectly through a contracted agent or through a party with which 
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it has entered into a commingling agreement. 
Sec. 2. 
Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF 
Alcoholic Beverages - General Operation 0015 
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Initiative: Provides allocations for the State's cost as an initiator of deposit for spirits for 
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an increase in the reimbursement rate paid to a dealer or local redemption center of 1 ¢ per 
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returned beverage container beginning May 1, 2023 and another 1/2¢ beginning September 
1, 2023. 
STATE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE 
FUND 
All Other 
STATE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE 
FUND TOTAL 
2022-23 
$52,959 
$52,959 
2023-24 
$450,155 
$450,155 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
2024-25 
$514,766 
$514,766 
ROS 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" fl "to S.P. 73, L.D. 134( s-i ~ 
Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation 
takes effect when approved.' 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section 
number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment replaces the bill. It adds an emergency preamble and emergency 
clause and amends the beverage container redemption laws to increase the amount of the 
reimbursement of beverage container handling costs paid by an initiator of deposit to a 
dealer or redemption center from 4 1/2¢ per container to 5 1/2¢ per container beginning 
May 1, 2023 and to 6¢ per container beginning September 1, 2023. The amendment also 
adds an appropriations and allocations section. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 04/12/23 ;'b!?ae 
LD 134 
LR 197(02) 
An Act to Increase the Handling Fee for Beverage Containers Reimbursed to Dealers and Redemption 
Centers 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment "t Cs✓)~) 
Committee: Environment and Natural Resources 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
FY 2022-23 
FY 2023-24 
FY 2024-25 
Appropriations/ Allocations 
State Alcoholic Beverage Fund 
$52,959 
$450,155 
$514,766 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Projections 
FY 2025-26 
$555,947 
Projections 
FY 2026-27 
$600,423 
This bill increases the cost of handling reimbursement paid per returned beverage container paid by the initiator of 
deposit to dealers and local redemption centers by one cent beginning May 1, 2023 and another half-cent beginning 
September 1, 2023. Since the Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages and Lottery Operations (BABLO) functions as the 
initiator of deposit for all spirits sold in Maine, the increase in the reimbursement rates will require an additional 
allocation to the Alcoholic Beverages Fund of $52,959 in fiscal year 2022-23, $450,155 in fiscal year 2023-24 and 
$514,766 in fiscal year 2024-25. Because the bottle redemption program and any payments required by the initiator of 
deposit are included in the spirits administration contract with Pine State Trading Company, this change will require 
the contract to be renegotiated. 
LR0197(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1