Summary — HB 6917: "An Act Concerning the Management of Solid Waste in the State"
Status snapshot
- Bill Number: HB 6917
- Title: AN ACT CONCERNING THE MANAGEMENT OF SOLID WASTE IN THE STATE
- Introduced: February 10, 2025
- Most recent procedural status: House passed with House Amendment Schedule A on June 4, 2025; transmitted to the Senate and placed on Senate Calendar No. 621.
- Committees/Reports: Referred to Joint Committee on Environment; later changed of reference to Appropriations. Joint Favorable Substitute reported. Referred to Office of Legislative Research and Office of Fiscal Analysis.
NOTE: The full legislative text was not provided. The summary below synthesizes the bill’s apparent purpose and likely components based on the bill title, subject tags, and legislative history. For precise statutory changes, consult the bill text and committee reports.
Purpose and intent
- To update and strengthen the State’s management of solid waste by addressing waste collection, disposal, recovery, funding, enforcement, and reporting requirements. The bill appears intended to improve recycling and organics diversion, regulate packaging and resource recovery facilities, establish financing mechanisms (fees/assessments), and create pilot programs and reporting obligations.
Key provisions likely included (based on subject headings)
- Assessments, fees, and fines: Establishes or modifies fees/assessments on waste generators, haulers, processors, or producers to fund waste-management programs; sets civil penalties or enforcement provisions for noncompliance.
- Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP): Assigns DEEP responsibilities for program oversight, permitting, enforcement, and reporting.
- Food/Organics diversion: Requires or incentivizes separation/diversion of food waste (food diversion programs, organics recycling, or diversion targets).
- Packaging and producer responsibility: Addresses packaging materials (possible producer responsibility or labeling requirements) to increase recyclable/recovered content or reduce waste.
- Municipal responsibilities and resource recovery facilities: Alters municipal solid-waste planning roles; modifies standards for resource recovery facilities and contracts.
- Pilots and reports: Authorizes pilot projects (e.g., curbside organics, pay-as-you-throw, producer takeback); requires periodic reporting to the legislature or agencies.
- Revenue/State funds: Directs revenues from fees/assessments to special funds or programs; referral to Appropriations and OFA indicates budgetary implications.
Who would be affected
- Municipal governments and solid-waste authorities
- Waste haulers, resource recovery facility operators, recyclers, composters
- Businesses that produce packaging or generate significant food/organic waste (including food service/retail)
- DEEP and other state agencies (administration, enforcement, fiscal management)
- Potentially residents via changes to collection systems, fees, or municipal charges
Procedural/timeline notes
- Public hearing held Feb 19, 2025. House passed bill with amendment (Schedule A) June 4, 2025; now in Senate consideration (Senate Calendar No. 621). Because of Appropriations referrals and OFA involvement, expect fiscal analyses and potential amendments on funding/fee structures before final passage.
Recommendation
- Review the full bill text and OFA fiscal note (when available) for specific statutory changes, fee schedules, penalty amounts, effective dates, and allocation of collected revenues.
