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Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the summary and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 1. 32 MRSA §1863-A, sub-§4,  as enacted by PL 1991, c. 819, §3, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:
 
4.  Wine and spirits containers.     For wine and spirits containers of greater than 50 milliliters, the refund value may not be less than 15¢. Beginning April 1, 2008, the refund value for wine and spirits containers of greater than 50 milliliters may not be less than 5¢.
Sec. 2. 32 MRSA §1866, sub-§4, ¶A,  as amended by PL 2003, c. 499, §6, is further amended to read:
 
A.  In addition to the payment of the refund value, the initiator of the deposit under section 1863-A, subsections 1, 2 and 4 shall reimburse the dealer or local redemption center for the cost of handling beverage containers subject to section 1863-A, in an amount that equals at least 3¢ per returned container for containers picked up by the initiator before March 1, 2004 and, at least 3 1/2¢ for containers picked up on or after March 1, 2004 and at least 3 3/4¢ for containers picked up on or after March 1, 2008. The initiator of the deposit may reimburse the dealer or local redemption center directly or indirectly through a party with which it has entered into a commingling agreement.
Sec. 3. 32 MRSA §1866, sub-§4, ¶B,  as corrected by RR 2003, c. 1, §34, is amended to read:
 
B.  In addition to the payment of the refund value, the initiator of the deposit under section 1863-A, subsection 3 shall reimburse the dealer or local redemption center for the cost of handling beverage containers subject to section 1863-A in an amount that equals at least 3¢ per returned container for containers picked up by the initiator before March 1, 2004 and, at least 3 1/2¢ for containers picked up on or after March 1, 2004 and at least 3 3/4¢ for containers picked up on or after March 1, 2008. The initiator of the deposit may reimburse the dealer or local redemption center directly or indirectly through a contracted agent or through a party with which it has entered into a commingling agreement.’
 
SUMMARY
This amendment replaces the bill and is the majority report of the committee. It reduces the minimum refund value for wine and spirits containers of greater than 50 milliliters to not less than 5¢ beginning April 1, 2008. It also increases the handling fee for beverage containers to at least 3 3/4¢ for containers picked up on or after March 1, 2008.