All Roll Calls
Yes: 220 • No: 125
ConnecticutSB 002992026 Regular SessionSenateWALLET
AN ACT CONCERNING REDEMPTION OF OUT-OF-STATE BEVERAGE CONTAINERS.
Sponsored By: Martin M. Looney (Democratic)
Became Law
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 3 costs, 2 mixed.
Licenses and records for redemption centers
You must have approval from the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and register each year to open or run a redemption center, and report key changes within 48 hours. Starting July 1, 2026, owners must also get a DEEP license; the application fee is $2,500. When the license is issued, any earlier registration for that site ends. Centers and reverse vending machine operators must keep required records for at least two years. Send records each quarter for any day one person redeems over 1,000 containers; not sending them can lead to license revocation.
Dealers and distributors must take returns
Dealers must accept and pay refunds for the kinds, sizes, and brands they sell, except in listed cases like foreign material, wrong labels, a nearby center that takes the item, out-of-state origin, prior redemption, unreadable barcodes, or a not-for-sale list. Dealers must keep taking a discontinued item for at least 60 days after the last sale and post a 60-day notice. Distributors must take back containers they sell from dealers and sponsored centers, remove empties from their territory, and pay redemption centers within 20 days after receiving the containers. A center cannot move or transfer containers before tendering unless it has written authorization, with a copy sent to the department.
Handling fees change for redemption centers
Distributors must pay at least 2.5 cents per returned beer, hard seltzer, or cider container, and at least 3.5 cents per returned soda, water, or similar drink container, to dealers and redemption centers. From April 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, distributors may cut the fee by up to 1 cent per container for centers that process 50 million or more containers a year and do not use automated barcode or UPC scanning, as confirmed by the state. After July 1, 2027, that cut stops if the center uses automated scanning for all such returns.
Limits on daily bottle returns
If one person brings more than 1,000 containers in a day, the center must take the person’s ID and collection details. A center cannot take more than 4,000 containers from one person in a day. Nonprofits and verified fundraisers are exempt from the 4,000 cap. Centers must refuse containers not sold in Connecticut, already redeemed, with unreadable barcodes, or on a not-for-sale list.
Stronger enforcement and higher penalties
Fines for breaking container laws rise: first offense $500–$750; second $750–$1,000; third or later at least $2,000 and a class A misdemeanor. The Attorney General can sue to collect these penalties. Local police can enforce these laws, and fines they issue go to the town or city. The department must write rules for reverse vending machines, dealer and distributor schedules, and any labeling changes. For the year ending June 30, 2026, $2 million moves to bottle bill enforcement; $250,000 goes to the department to set up and run licensing, and the rest funds reimbursement grants.
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Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Martin M. Looney
Democratic • Senate
Cosponsors
Aundre Bumgardner
Democratic • House
Bob Duff
Democratic • Senate
Hilda E. Santiago
Democratic • House
Jason Rojas
Democratic • House
Matthew Ritter
Democratic • House
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 2/25/2026
House Roll Call Vote 10 EMERGENCY CERTIFICATION HOUSE AMD A
Yes: 45 • No: 93
Senate vote • 2/25/2026
Senate Roll Call Vote 14
Yes: 11 • No: 24
House vote • 2/25/2026
House Roll Call Vote 11 EMERGENCY CERTIFICATION
Yes: 130 • No: 7
Senate vote • 2/25/2026
Senate Roll Call Vote 15
Yes: 34 • No: 1
Actions Timeline
Transmitted to the Secretary of State
3/25/2026legislaturePublic Act 26-2
3/5/2026legislatureSigned by Governor in Original
3/3/2026legislatureRules Suspended, Transmitted to the Governor
2/26/2026legislatureIn Concurrence
2/26/2026legislatureHouse Passed
2/26/2026HouseHouse Rejected House Amendment Schedule A 2364
2/26/2026HouseImmediate Transmittal to the House
2/25/2026HouseSenate Passed
2/25/2026SenateSenate Rejected Senate Amendment Schedule A 2284
2/25/2026SenateEmergency Certification
2/24/2026legislature
Bill Text
Public Act No. 26-2
2/26/2026
New Bill
2/24/2026
Bill Analysis for SB-299
Fiscal Note for Amendment LCO 2284 (Potential Revenue Gain)
Fiscal Note for Amendment LCO 2364 (Potential Revenue Gain)
Fiscal Note for SB-299
House Roll Call Vote 10 EMERGENCY CERTIFICATION HOUSE AMD A
House Roll Call Vote 11 EMERGENCY CERTIFICATION
House Schedule A LCO# 2364 (R)
Senate Roll Call Vote 14
Senate Roll Call Vote 15
Senate Schedule A LCO# 2284 (R)
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