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Plastic Bag Reduction

Our Position: support
Bill Number: SB 156
Sponsor: Rep. Veiga/ Sen. Miklosi
Legislative Session: 2009

Creates the "Plastic Bag Reduction Act" (act), which prohibits a store that meets the following criteria from providing plastic bags to customers on and after July 1, 2012:

• The store has a retail floor space of at least 10,000 square feet; and
• The store has gross annual sales of at least $1,000,000.

Exempts any store operated pursuant to a franchise agreement from the scope of the act.

Makes noncompliance with the plastic bag prohibition a class 2 petty offense and sets the following penalties upon conviction thereof:

• A fine not to exceed $200 for a first violation within a calendar year;
• A fine not to exceed $300 for a second violation within a calendar year; and
• Fines not to exceed $500 for each additional violation within a calendar year.

Specifies that each plastic bag provided shall be deemed a separate violation.

Beginning September 1, 2009, imposes on customers a fee of 6 cents for every plastic bag provided to a customer by a store meeting the above criteria. Requires the store providing the bags to retain 3 cents and transfer the other 3 cents to the state treasurer. Creates the plastic bag reduction education fund (fund) in the state treasury, consisting of the plastic bag fees that are transmitted to the state. Requires the fund to be used to educate people on the upcoming plastic bag prohibition. Repeals the fund on July 1, 2013.

Status

01/28/2009 Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Business, Labor and Technology
02/11/2009 Senate Committee on Business, Labor and Technology Refer Amended to Senate Committee of the Whole
02/16/2009 Senate Second Reading Laid Over Daily
02/24/2009 Senate Second Reading Lost with Amendments

More information

Please see the bill text for the exact language.