Senate sends governor rewrite of Iowa’s Bottle Bill – Radio Iowa

For the primary time in 44 years, lawmakers have voted to make modifications in Iowa’s well-liked “Bottle Invoice.”

“I’m glad that is occurring. It’s time,” stated Senator Jason Schultz of Schleswig, one in all 30 Republicans who voted to simply accept Home changes and ship the invoice to the governor.

The laws would let grocery shops cease accepting empty bottles and cans and paying deposits. Redemption facilities would see their per container dealing with price elevated to 3 cents. Wholesale distributors of beer and pop would have the ability to preserve the cash from unredeemed containers.

“We’ve been engaged on this factor for years and this 12 months we began with recognizing what the individuals of Iowa need,” Schultz stated. “…They don’t need the deposit elevated. They don’t need that tax on the can to go from a nickel to a dime. They need that left alone. This does that. They need extra areas to redeem.”

Schultz stated extra redemption facilities will open as soon as the per container dealing with price is being tripled. There are solely 5 dozen redemption facilities in Iowa as we speak. Senator Claire Celsi, a Democrat from Des Moines, stated letting grocery shops and different retailers choose out of accepting empties means many Iowans could have nowhere to get their deposits again.

“It’s much less handy for customers,” Celsi stated.

Senator Joe Bolkcom, a Democrat from Iowa Metropolis, stated the invoice will probably be a “large windfall” to wholesalers who’ll proceed to maintain these unredeemed deposits.  “Iowa customers can pay for these cans and bottles and so they’ll by no means see the cash once more,” Bolkcom stated. “What a candy deal to our beverage distributors and there’s no accounting for it right here.”

Bolkcom additionally objects to the tax credit score for beer distributors that’s included within the invoice. The 15 “no” votes within the Senate got here from Democrats.

The plan bought bipartisan help within the Iowa Home final month and now goes to the governor. Final month Governor Reynolds instructed reporters she was solely targeted on rounding up votes for her personal college scholarships and had not been negotiating with legislators on Bottle Invoice modifications.