Cali Assembly bill for 25 cent plastic bag fee: Delayed but not dead

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the California Assembly bill that proposed a 25 cent "plastic carryout bag impact fee" on each single-use plastic shopping bag (AB 2829) died in committee. The weaker bill (AB 2058) that relied heavily on voluntary bag reduction measures, however, did make it through.

Although AB 2058 is weaker, it does allow for a per-bag fee if voluntary targets are not met. If a store fails to decrease plastic bag use by 70% by July 1, 2012, a 15 cents per bag fee would kick in.

And that fee will likely go up! According to Jessica Belsky at Heal the Bay, Assemblymember Lloyd Levine (D-Van Nuys), who authored AB2058, has agreed to revise the legislation to up the fee to 25 cents per bag, and to take out language that would preempt local governments from placing their own fees on plastic bags.

AB2058's now been referred to the Assembly Committee on Appropriations. If the bill makes it through that committee, it will then go to the Assembly floor.

Get into the habit of carrying reusable bags now, to save yourself hassles later --

Photo courtesy of envirowoman