This verbatim extract from the weekly report by Michigan State Rep. Paul Condino (a solid environmental advocate) gives you detail, and insight, that no Capitol reporter in Lansing appears capable of providing. The deadpan narrative is enjoyable, as is the nonsensical idea of creating a "recycling coordinator" while rejecting real recycling via an expanded container deposit.
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RECYCLING AND BOTTLE DEPOSIT EXPANSION FOR WATER AND JUICE DEFEATED
The House this will took up SB 790, which creates a recycling advisory
council. House Democrats unsuccessfully offered amendments to this bill
that would tie it to a bill expanding the state's bottle deposit law.
This would have expanded mandatory deposits from solely beer and cola
containers to items like fruit juice containers and bottled water.
Supporters of the amendment said that a recycling advisory council is
unnecessary. They said that the House could take significant action by
expanding the bottle deposit law with the tie-bar amendment. They also
said that the debate has taken place for years and that the Republicans
in the Legislature refuse to take action. They said that there is a
need for action, not another task force.
The amendment was rejected on party lines 32-56, with Democrats in
support and Republicans in opposition. The final recycling council bill
passed on a 57-38 vote.
The House also took up SB 854, which would create an office in the
Department of Environmental Quality of a statewide recycling
coordinator. Supporters of the bill said that it would promote
recycling. Opponents said that the bill is worthless because it would
create one additional job at DEQ to do this, and would not be an
"office" in charge of recycling. To show that they thought that
the bill is pointless, opponents offered an amendment to the bill that
would change the name from the "Office of Recycling" to the
"cubicle of the statewide recycling coordinator". The amendment
was defeated, and the bill was also defeated on a 51-44 vote (with 56
supportive votes needed for passage). A motion to reconsider the bill
was granted, and the bill is expected to be taken up and passed when
more members are present next week.