2007 House Bill 5147 / 2008 Public Act 387

Require returnable beverage container bar codes and related equipment

Introduced in the House

Aug. 29, 2007

Introduced by Rep. Steve Bieda (D-25)

To prohibit the sale or lease of “reverse vending machines” (which are the automated bottle and can return machines used by stores to collect beverage container returns and calculate customer deposit refunds), unless the machines are capable of capturing and destroying at least 85 percent of the “foreign” containers (those on which no deposit was paid), and not giving customers a credit for these. The bill establishes regulations and enforcement provisions related to these machines. House Bill 5148 requires all returnable beverage containers sold in the state to have a bar code that the machines can read and which indicates whether or not they are Michigan returnables.

Referred to the Committee on Great Lakes and Environment

Nov. 13, 2008

Reported without amendment

With the recommendation that the substitute (H-4) be adopted and that the bill then pass.

Dec. 4, 2008

Substitute offered

To replace the previous version of the bill with one that only applies the bill provisions in 17 border counties, and only if $500,000 is appropriated to reimburse store owners for the costs of the required machines. This version was superseded by another substitute with these changes and some other technical changes.

The substitute failed by voice vote

Substitute offered by Rep. Rebekah Warren (D-53)

To replace the previous version of the bill with one that only applies the bill provisions in 17 border counties, and only if $1 million is appropriated to reimburse store owners for the costs of the required machines.

The substitute passed by voice vote

Passed in the House 98 to 1 (details)

To prohibit the sale or lease of “reverse vending machines” (which are the automated bottle and can return machines used by stores to collect beverage container returns and calculate customer deposit refunds), unless the machines are capable of capturing and destroying at least 85 percent of the “foreign” containers (those on which no deposit was paid), and not giving customers a credit for these. The bill establishes regulations and enforcement provisions related to these machines. House Bill 5148 requires all returnable beverage containers sold in the state to have a bar code that the machines can read and which indicates whether or not they are Michigan returnables. It would only apply in counties, and only if $1 million is appropriated to reimburse store owners for the costs of the required machines.

Received in the Senate

Dec. 10, 2008

Substitute offered

The substitute passed by voice vote

Dec. 11, 2008

Passed in the Senate 35 to 1 (details)

Received in the House

Dec. 11, 2008

Dec. 18, 2008

Passed in the House 103 to 1 (details)

Signed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm

Dec. 25, 2008