House Bill 5596 Summary

• Expands the definition of "beverage" to include nonalcoholic carbonated or noncarbonated drinks, mixed wine drinks, and mixed spirit drinks, while excluding unflavored rice milk, unflavored soymilk, milk, and dairy-derived products from deposit requirements.

• Modifies "beverage container" definition to separately classify containers for alcoholic beverages (metal, glass, paper, or plastic up to 1 gallon) and nonalcoholic beverages (metal, glass, or plastic up to 1 gallon, with specific aluminum composite restrictions).

• Adds new definitions for "unflavored soymilk" and "rice milk" as drinks with no additional flavoring ingredients intended for human consumption and derived from specific protein sources.

• Updates terminology throughout the statute, including changing "which" to "that" and replacing "Michigan liquor control commission" with reference to the liquor control commission created under the Michigan liquor control code of 1998.

• Takes effect January 1, 2016.