January 4, 2024
STATEMENT FROM VERMONT SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE ON OVERRIDE OF EXPANSION TO THE VERMONT BOTTLE BILL
Montpelier, Vt. – Today, the House overrode Governor Scott’s veto of H.158, known as the bottle bill, on a multi-partisan vote of 112 to 32. Following the vote, Speaker of the House Jill Krowinski made the following statement:
“Today’s successful vote to override the Governor's veto of H.158 moves us forward by expanding our long-standing bottle redemption system and greatly reducing the litter that ends up polluting our lands and waterways. The override received support from Democrats, Republicans, Progressives and an Independent, indicating broad consensus. Passing legislation that affirms the voices of Vermonters — from across the state and across party lines — is incredibly important to our democratic process.
“The bottle bill was first passed in 1972 as a way to reduce litter along Vermont roadways and has been demonstrably successful ever since. This update to the law will expand the containers that are redeemable to include hard cider and wine bottles, and most importantly, water bottles. Water bottles are the second-most littered piece of trash in the state. By making them redeemable, we’ll make clear progress on keeping our Green Mountain State green. Additionally, we know that Vermonters and community organizations, like the Boy Scouts, rely on the redemption program to raise money and the expansion of the system will increase financial opportunities.”