Relates to beverage container handling fees paid to dealers or operators of redemption centers

This bill increases the handling fee that beverage deposit initiators must pay to dealers or redemption center operators from 3.5 cents to 4.5 cents per container. The additional payment is intended to cover the costs of collecting, sorting, and packaging empty containers for transport. The law specifies that this fee cannot be tied to any sales requirements and must be paid separately from refund value accounts. It is set to take effect immediately and will automatically expire on December 31, 2025.