Following similar ordinances in cities across the state, Jerry Brown has signed a bill banning plastic shopping bags in grocery and convenience stores, making California the first state to institute such a policy. The ban is scheduled to take effect in July 2015, though a coalition of plastic bag manufacturers will attempt to seek a voter referendum repealing the law.
State Bill 270 will phase out plastic bags from the checkout counters of large grocery stores and supermarkets starting next summer, and from convenience stores and pharmacies in 2016. The law does not apply to bags used for fruits, vegetables or meats, or to shopping bags used at other retailers, and allows grocers to charge a fee of at least 10 cents for using paper bags.
State Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Los Angeles, credits the momentum for statewide legislation to the more than 100 cities and counties, including Los Angeles and San Francisco, that already have such bans.
Lawmakers of both parties who opposed SB270 said it would penalize lower-income residents by charging them for bags they once received for free. The bill was amended to waive fees for customers who are on public assistance and limit how grocers can spend the proceeds from the fees.
Responding to the concerns about job losses, the bill includes $2 million in loans for plastic bag manufacturers to shift their operations to make reusable bags. That provision won the support of Los Angeles Democratic Sens. Kevin De Leon and Ricardo Lara, who had blocked earlier versions of the legislation.
The law marks a major milestone for environmental activists who have successfully pushed plastic bag bans in cities across the U.S., including Chicago, Austin and Seattle. Hawaii is also on track to have a de-facto statewide ban, with all counties approving prohibitions. Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Puerto Rico also have pending legislation that would ban single-use bags.
