The bill amends Michigan's existing legislation on beverage container management, specifically addressing the collection and return of deposits. It changes the title from "A petition to initiate legislation" to "An initiated law" and introduces provisions for the establishment of a beverage container handling fund and a bottle deposit fund, which will be managed by the state treasury. These funds are intended to support state departments involved in the enforcement and management of the beverage container system, including marketing and compliance efforts. The bill also outlines the responsibilities of dealers and distributors, mandating that they accept returnable containers and provide refunds, while specifying conditions for returns and penalties for non-compliance.

Additionally, the bill modifies the distribution of funds from the bottle bill enforcement fund, allocating 40% to the cleanup and redevelopment trust fund, 10% to the water security fund, 5% to manufacturers, 20% to distributors, and 25% to dealers and redemption centers after an initial allocation of $1,000,000. It establishes new funds, including the water security fund and the resource recovery fund, for specific purposes such as water affordability programs and consumer education. The Department of State Police and the Department of Attorney General are designated to enforce the act, with a requirement to report on its efficacy three years post-implementation. The bill will only take effect if approved by a majority of voters in the general election scheduled for November 3, 2026.

Statutes affected:
Senate Introduced Bill: 445.571, 445.572