"NEW SECTION. Sec. 129. To inform implementation of the program created under this chapter, the department of commerce must contract with an independent third party, which may include educational institutions or private entities with subject matter expertise, to carry out a social vulnerability assessment of the impacts of the requirements of this chapter. The assessment must identify and evaluate program design elements to be included in plans submitted by producer responsibility organizations to minimize negative impacts on socially vulnerable populations. The assessment must be completed and submitted by October 1, 2026, to the department of commerce, the department, the stakeholder advisory council formed in section 120 of this act, and any producer responsibility organizations registered with the department. A producer responsibility organization must consider and address the results of the assessment under this section in plans submitted to the department under section 107 of this act."