Relating to delayed implementation of responsible end market requirements; declaring an emergency.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2025 Regular Session House Bill 3981 Sponsored by Representative LIVELY SUMMARY The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor’s brief statement of the essential features of the measure as introduced. The statement includes a measure digest written in compliance with applicable readability standards. Digest: This Act delays responsible end market laws for one year. (Flesch Readability Score: 69.7). Delays, until July 1, 2026, the requirement that a producer responsibility organization transfer materials to responsible end markets. Prohibits, before July 1, 2026, the Department of Environmental Quality from requiring that a recycling processing facility take certain actions with respect to responsible end markets. Declares an emergency, effective on passage. A BILL FOR AN ACT Relating to delayed implementation of responsible end market requirements; and declaring an emergency. Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon: SECTION 1. Section 2 of this 2025 Act is added to and made a part of ORS 459A.860 to 459A.975. SECTION 2. Notwithstanding any other provision of ORS 459A.860 to 459A.975: (1) A producer responsibility organization’s obligation to ensure that covered products collected for recycling are transferred to responsible end markets applies to covered pro- ducts collected on or after July 1, 2026. (2) The Department of Environmental Quality may not require before July 1, 2026, in a permit issued to a commingled recycling processing facility pursuant to ORS 459.205 and 459A.955, that the owner or operator of the facility market materials to a responsible end market or obtain a certification that an end market meet standards for environmental and social sustainability. SECTION 3. It is the intent of the Legislative Assembly that section 2 of this 2025 Act delay the requirements related to responsible end markets imposed on any person by ORS 459A.860 to 459A.975 until July 1, 2026. If this 2025 Act becomes effective after July 1, 2025, any enforcement action initiated by the Department of Environmental Quality against any person for a violation of ORS 459A.860 to 459A.975 related to responsible end markets oc- curring on or after July 1, 2025, and before the effective date of this 2025 Act, must be stayed or dismissed consistent with this section. SECTION 4. This 2025 Act being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety, an emergency is declared to exist, and this 2025 Act takes effect on its passage. NOTE: Matter in boldfaced type in an amended section is new; matter [ italic and bracketed] is existing law to be omitted. New sections are in boldfaced type. LC 4960