Bottle Bill Dies in Conference Committee
Legislators decide to take the bottle bill amendment — which would expand the kinds of bottles that can be recycled for cash — out of the jobs act.
The bottle bill will not make it to the governor's desk this year. The controversial proposal was included as an amendment to the Senate jobs bill but scrapped Monday in conference committee, according to an aide to its sponsor, Sen. Robert Hedlund (R-Weymouth). The jobs bill is expected to be laid before Gov. Deval Patrick Tuesday, the last day of the legislative session. The amendment had faced strong opposition in the House, with Speaker Robert DeLeo describing it as a tax. Hedlund disputed this view, saying that taxes can't be redeemed. The expansion to the 31-year-old law designed to promote recycling and reduce litter would have added plastic bottles used for water, juices, iced tea and sports drinks to the list of containers …
Ken Kohler
11:08 am on Tuesday, July 31, 2012
It amazes me that with overwhelming public support and majority support from the Senate & the House and the Governor , that DeLeo can get this bill killed! How powerful is this guy? Or is it the Cokes, Pepsi and Polar putting the money in the right people's pockets? more ›