The proposed bill, HB 1602-FN, establishes a statewide battery stewardship program in New Hampshire, aimed at the safe collection, recycling, and management of covered batteries and battery-containing products. Under this program, producers are required to participate in a state-approved stewardship organization and plan, while retailers are prohibited from selling batteries from non-participating producers. The bill introduces key definitions, such as "battery-containing product," "battery recycler," and "covered battery," and outlines the responsibilities of producers and battery stewardship organizations. Producers must implement a stewardship plan that includes environmentally sound management practices, education efforts, and funding mechanisms, while the Department of Environmental Services (DES) will oversee the program's implementation and compliance.

The bill also includes provisions for the stewardship organizations, such as the authority to issue warnings and terminate collection sites that do not meet health and safety criteria. It mandates that these organizations submit annual reports detailing their stewardship plans and ensures that they cannot charge consumers fees at the point of sale for program costs. Notably, the bill does not delete any existing legal language but inserts new language to establish the framework for the stewardship program. The DES will manage additional administrative tasks, which will be funded through payments from the stewardship organization, resulting in a net-neutral impact on state funds. Local governments are expected to benefit from reduced costs associated with battery collection, as the stewardship organization will cover these expenses.