SB 593 - The act creates the "Lithium Battery Recycling and Safety Act". Under the act, any person or entity engaged in the manufacture, sales, or distribution of batteries in the state shall establish or join a representative organization, as defined in the act. The representative organization shall develop a plan for the establishment of a battery recycling program and submit it to the Director of the Department of Natural Resources for approval no less than every five years. Specifics of the plan are described in the act. The Department shall enforce the representative organization's compliance with the plan pursuant to provisions of current law and establish enforcement procedures and penalties. After a battery recycling program is implemented, a person or entity shall not manufacture, distribute, or sell batteries in the state unless the person or entity participates in the battery recycling program. The person or entity shall not charge a point-of-sale fee to consumers to cover the costs of the battery recycling program. After the program is implemented, all batteries shall only be disposed into receptacles at collection sites approved by the program and shall not be disposed into household waste or recycle containers. The person or entity shall be deemed to be in compliance with the act if the person or entity is listed on the Department's website as being included in the program on the date a battery is offered for sale. Any person may report violations of this act to the Department. If the Department finds that the person or entity violated provisions of the act, the Department shall ask the Attorney General to commence a civil action. If the court finds that the person or entity violated provisions of the act, the court may grant relief as described in the act. By June 1, 2027, and by June 1st of each following year, a representative organization shall submit an annual report to the Department covering the preceding calendar year of the battery recycling program. Specifics of the report are described in the act. The report shall be posted on the Department's and the representative organization's website. The act is substantially similar to HB 1508 (2025). JULIA SHEVELEVA