After falling just four votes short of the required 41 on Monday, SB270, which would be the country’s first statewide ban on single-use plastic bags, passed the California assembly Thursday by a vote of 44-29. The legislation now heads to the state senate, where it must be approved by Sunday.
According to state senator Alex Padilla, his bill would:
- Prohibit, beginning July 1, 2015, grocery stores and pharmacies from making available single-use plastic bags.
- If paper bags are offered to customers, they would have to include recycled content.
- Prohibit, beginning July 1, 2016, convenience stores and liquor stores from making available single-use plastic bags.
- Grandfather in existing local ordinances.
- Provide up to $2 million in competitive loans to businesses transitioning to the manufacture of reusable bags.
The Sacramento Bee notes that “in a key late change, the United Food and Commercial Workers Union – grocery store workers – aligned with skeptics denouncing a minimum 10-cent fee stores could charge at checkout counters for paper or reusable bags.”
Fingers crossed for #SB270! Our coasts don't need any more plastic. #banthebag
— Dr. Michele M Tobias (@MicheleTobias) August 28, 2014
YES!!! Moments ago #California became the first state to outlaw single-use #plastic bags. #SB270 voted 44-29! #banthebag @Surfrider
— Vanessa Forbes (@vanessaroscoe) August 28, 2014
Congratulations & many thanks to those who made this possible. Big step in the right direction! Time for the Senate to act #SB270 #banthebag
— Terry Tamminen (@terrytamminen) August 28, 2014
Not everyone is hoping the bill passes the senate.
@FresnoBee Nanny State Assembly passes #SB270 on 2nd try in hopes of reducing landfill by 0.5%. Can't choose bags at grocery store.
— BCB (@PoliticsByBrad) August 28, 2014
@BetteMidler @PlasticPollutes Plastic bags are reusable, recyclable and disintegrate in the sun (over time), I will NEVER use paper or cloth
— Patti ??❌?? (@Pattikke) August 26, 2014
@BetteMidler This doesn't reduce plastic in landfills. The poor will have to buy garbage bags instead of using free plastic bags from stores
— DyslexicsRUs (@DyslexicsRUs) August 26, 2014
@BetteMidler Removing free plastic bags = regressive tax on the poor. The poor will also be more likely to have to buy bags in-store.
— DyslexicsRUs (@DyslexicsRUs) August 26, 2014
.'California one step closer to banning plastic bags'. California is an insane state run by an insane governor.
— Chaya N (@Chaya93) August 28, 2014
https://twitter.com/Anonymous583/status/504471548023951360
Despite bans in CA, there is nothing I recycle more in my life than my plastic bags. #plasticbags #ReduceReuseRecycle
— JustDawleyGirl (@DawleyGirl) August 28, 2014
https://twitter.com/SleepyTimePal/status/505132724089155584
Have we nothing better to do??@CBSLA: California is one step closer to banning plastic bags: http://t.co/wWxmSxwriX
— Sharon Devol? (@SharonDevol) August 28, 2014
Poverty? Jobs? Education? Rebuilding the middle class? Nope. Plastic bags. #embarrassing
— Neel Kashkari (@neelkashkari) August 28, 2014
Related:
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