Des Moines, Iowa — House Speaker Pat Grassley says resolving the impasse over Iowa’s so-called Bottle Bill has historically involved finger-pointing among the interest groups involved — but lawmakers in the House may be nearing an agreement.
(As above) “If anything’s going to happen with the Bottle Bill, the legislature has to make a decision of what’s best for our constituents, what’s best for the long term viability of the program and just go forward,” Grassley says, “and the folks in the industry may not love that solution, but at some point we’re just going to have to do it.”
Grassley says a potential deal in the works would increase the amount of money for redemption centers. In addition, the requirement that grocery stores and other retailers that sell beverages accept the empties and pay back the nickel deposit could be waived.
(As above) “If you choose to make that business decision, it’s going to probably cost you some money to pay someone else to take those cans, because in the state one of the pieces that we struggle with is is it’s not enforced that everyone that sells that product has to take them back,” Grassley says, “so I think requiring everyone to take them back or if you don’t want to take them back, you would either have to contract with someone or pay an additional fee to get them out of your store.”
Grassley, who is entering his 15th year in the Iowa House, is the grandson of U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley and the younger Grassley says the elder Grassley opposes repealing the Bottle Bill.
