Maryland lawmakers are rushing to consider SB 901. This misguided legislation introduces an extended producer responsibility (EPR) program for packaging and paper products. The EPR legislation has wide-ranging, negative impacts for the paper industry. In fact, legislators in the Maryland House of Delegates seemed aware of the risks SB 901 has for the paper industry. They initially included a provision in the bill to ensure paper’s continued recycling success, only to remove it at the last minute. …Maryland invested in a Needs Assessment to understand the current state of their waste and recycling system, something AF&PA supported. …However, legislators proceeded to write SB 901 before the report was final. Worse, once the Assessment was completed, lawmakers didn’t wait for it to be reviewed by the Maryland Advisory Board. Instead, they pushed forward without considering stakeholder input. Now, the bill has advanced through key phases of the legislative process. All without making informed, data-driven decisions.