California state lawmakers have approved legislation that effectively bans all plastic grocery bags.
Senate Bill 1053 and Assembly Bill 2236, which prohibit grocery stores from offering any bags other than paper at checkout, aim to enforce the original goals of California’s 2014 plastic bag ban law, according to the California Public Interest Research Group, or CALPIRG.
SB 1053 passed the State Assembly on Thursday with an initial vote of 49-5; on Wednesday, AB 2236 passed the State Senate with a vote of 31-8.
Both bills require one final vote in each house before heading to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk.
California became the first state in the nation to pass a plastic grocery bag ban in 2014 and a law that was upheld by voters in 2016.
However, the original law, SB 270, allowed grocery stores to still offer plastic bags as long as they were deemed reusable and recyclable. This loophole led to a surge in the use of thicker plastic bags, which manufacturers claim meet the criteria but are still rarely reused.
“We’ve known for a long time that plastic bags create pollution in our environment. That’s why Californians voted to ban plastic grocery bags in 2016,” said CALPIRG State Director Jenn Engstrom. “The problem is that grocery stores have been allowed to still provide thicker plastic bags, and now plastic bag waste is at an all-time high. With today’s vote in the legislature, California is on track to finally ban plastic bags in grocery checkout lanes once and for all.”
Customers would still be encouraged to bring their own bags or purchase paper bags at checkout for a nominal fee.
It is uncertain if Newsom, who has generally supported efforts to reduce plastic pollution, will sign the bills.