Substitute Senate Bill No. 974, Public Act No. 23-109, is a legislative act that regulates automated kiosks designed for the recycling or selling of used personal electronic devices. The bill mandates that these kiosks must be located within secure retail spaces and are required to verify consumer identities using government-issued photo IDs. They must also provide cash or electronic payment for devices, securely store devices and consumer images, and report transactional data to law enforcement. Operators are obliged to keep records for three years and respond to law enforcement requests within ten business days. The kiosks are prohibited from recycling, selling, or disposing of any device for fifteen days after purchase, allowing law enforcement to inspect the devices, and cannot purchase devices from individuals under eighteen years of age. The bill also amends the general statutes to exclude operators of such kiosks from being classified as junk yards, junk dealers, pawnbrokers, or secondhand dealers by inserting new legal language that provides this exclusion, with an effective date of October 1, 2023.

Furthermore, the bill delineates specific categories of dealers, including those dealing with various types of used goods, and defines a wholesaler as someone who buys property in large quantities to resell to those who sell to the ultimate consumer. It also clarifies the term "licensing authority" and the definition of "person" within the context of the general statutes. An amendment to section 22a-207 of the general statutes, effective October 1, 2023, revises the definition of "recycling facility" or "recycling center" to specifically exclude automated kiosks for consumer electronics, as indicated by the insertion of new legal language. The bill was approved on June 28, 2023.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 21-9, 21-39a
GL Joint Favorable Substitute: 21-9, 21-39a
File No. 115: 21-9, 21-39a
JUD Joint Favorable Substitute: 21-9, 21-39a
File No. 671: 21-9, 21-39a
Public Act No. 23-109: 21-9, 21-39a