Contrary to Media Buzz, Bottle Bill Still Alive

News Release

BOSTON—As Mark Twain once said, “Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated.” Contrary to some news reports about the Massachusetts House of Representatives budget deliberations, the Updated Bottle Bill WAS NOT voted down during the budget debate. While over 800 amendments to the budget were filed last week, and the Updated Bottle Bill was among those amendments, the vast majority of those amendments never saw the light of day. The amendment that included the Updated Bottle Bill was among those never considered by the members of the House of Representatives.

But, this serves as an important reminder that the bill, H890/S1650, is pending in the Telecom Utilities and Energy (TUE) committee. The committee has procrastinated past the March 21, 2012 legislative deadline. Action on this proposal, which would cut down on litter and increase recycling, has been delayed by the Legislature for over a decade, and the public is understandably impatient.

The Updated Bottle Bill enjoys the support of 77% of the public, according to a poll conducted by the MassINC Polling Group, and 208 cities and towns have endorsed it, as have 375 small businesses. The bill needs to be released from the TUE Committee and brought up for a vote now.

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