California State Senate

OFFERED
January 20th 2015
Senate Bill No. 1357
Principal Author: Orion Ma
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
Consumption Reduction Act of 2015
PURPOSE SECTION
FOR the purpose of creating a bill with which the State of California may reduce the amount of
technologies bought and therefore reduce the waste created and energy spent on creating and
using these accessories.
PREAMBLE

Ma, Orion

WHEREAS, According to the US EPA, more than 4.6 million tons of e-waste ended up

in US landfills in 2000; and,

WHEREAS, Researchers found that the e-waste pollution in the air that workers in e-

waste dumps breath constantly cause inflammation and stress that lead to heart disease,

DNA damage and possibly even cancer; and,

WHEREAS, The sheer volume of waste generated to make a typical desktop computer is

staggering; more than 500 pounds of fossil fuels alone are guzzled up, several times the

weight of your computer, not to mention nearly 50 pounds of chemicals, and 1.5 tons of

water; and,

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WHEREAS, A typical semiconductor factory makes about 2 million integrated circuits

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per month and gulps about 20 million gallons of water, which ultimately must be

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disposed of as waste; and,

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THEREFORE BE IT ENACTED BY THE CONGRESS of CALIFORNIA: That all

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shops and retailers making a profit that is of fifty percent or greater from selling

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technologies to consumers must place a tax and deposit that will be later defined on all

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technologies.

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1. a. All stores and online retailers whose profits consist of fifty percent selling

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technologies to consumers shall place a tax of fifteen percent on the sales price of all

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technologies. The taxes will pay for task forces that will dispose of the technologies

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properly and for facilities to be bought and built. The purpose of the tax is to dissuade

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people from buying unnecessary technologies and to utilize the money to dispose of the

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technologies safely.

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b. Stores and online retailers will also place a deposit of five dollars for screens

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smaller than three inches diagonally, ten dollars for screens that are three to ten inches

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diagonally, fifteen dollars for any screens that are from ten to thirty five inches

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diagonally, and twenty dollars for any screens that are greater than thirty five inches

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diagonally. All headphones, CD players, and mp3 players will have a deposit of five

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dollars placed upon them. All of the money that is deposited will collect into a segregated

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fund labeled the Central Fund of Deposits and will be used to pay back deposits.

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c. Stores and retailers may collect all technologies and draw from the Central

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Fund of Deposits for money to pay back ninety percent of the deposit. The other ten

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percent of the deposit will be given to the retailer who gathers the technology.

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d. As used in this act:

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Technology means not only, but including phones, tablets, laptops, desktop

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computers, television sets, headphones, speakers, CD players, and mp3 players.

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Section 2 ENFORCEMENT

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2. Any proprietor, manager, or administrator that violates this act by not paying

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their full taxes is subject to the law of California and United State of America and must

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pay one thousand and five hundred dollars to building facilities for the task forces that

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disassemble technology safely or they may volunteer two hundred hours of community

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service and help the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery.

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Ma, Orion

Section 1 - ENACTMENT CLAUSE

California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery is responsible for

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ensuring that the facilities are built, technology is disposed of safely, and workers are

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paid, and are safe. They will be funded by taxes from technologies sold in California and

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any violators of this act.

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Section 3 - CLOSING SECTION

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If the Consumption Reduction Act of 2015 is passed, it will take effect July 1st, 2015

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SECTION 4. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.
Introduced by Orion Ma.

Ma, Orion

Monday, January 26, 2015 at 4:11:13 PM Pacific Standard Time

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