House Bill No. 5353, now Public Act No. 24-133, concerns the establishment and implementation of a gas cylinder stewardship program. The bill amends Section 22a-905h of the general statutes by replacing subsection (e) to require the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection to approve a gas cylinder stewardship plan within 90 days of submission, provided it meets the section's requirements. The commissioner must solicit public comments on the plan, but not through chapter 54 procedures. If a plan is disapproved, the producer or designee must revise and resubmit it within 45 days, with a maximum of two resubmissions allowed. If an acceptable plan is not submitted, the commissioner will modify and approve a plan to conform to the requirements. The deadline for each producer to be part of an approved program is changed from October 1, 2025, to October 1, 2024, with implementation required by October 1, 2025.

Additionally, the bill repeals subsections (p) to (u) of the same section and substitutes new provisions. It grants the Attorney General authority, upon the commissioner's request, to bring an action against any person violating the section's provisions, with possible civil penalties of up to $25,000 for each offense. It allows for collaboration with other states on gas cylinder recycling programs, sets a fee structure for producers or designees for program administration, and prohibits producers not participating in an approved plan from selling gas cylinders in the state. The bill also requires the commissioner to issue a report on noncompliance and to publish a list of compliant producers. A new subsection (v) is added, allowing gas cylinder stewardship organizations to bring civil actions against noncompliant producers for damages related to the costs of managing their gas cylinders. The act was approved on June 5, 2024.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill:
ENV Joint Favorable:
File No. 329:
Public Act No. 24-133: