By Donna Beth Weilenman
Staff Reporter

The bill that would ban single-use plastic shopping bags died in the State Senate, which defeated AB 1998 21-14 Tuesday night.

Written by by Santa Monica Assemblymember Julia Brownley, it received Assembly approval in June. However, it faced a campaign of opposition led by the American Chemistry Council (ACC).

In hopes of saving the bill, Brownley amended AB 1998 Friday in response to critics’ comments.

She dropped wording that called for removal of plastic bag recycling bins from stores and allowed retailers to charge a nickel for recycled paper bags. Other modifications would have required stores to provide low-income people with free reusable or recycled paper bags, and $2 million would have been earmarked so California businesses could borrow or receive grants to make strong, reusable plastic bags.

Despite those changes, opponents forced AB 1998 back to a committee. After receiving a 7-3 approval by the Senate Appropriations Committee, the bill returned to the Senate floor around 9 p.m., where it was defeated.

Tuesday was “a sad day for California,” Brownley said in a release after the vote.

“Communities across the state were waiting for the state to adopt a uniform, statewide ban on single-use bags before they adopt their own ordinances,” she said. “The state failed them.”

She expected the movement to ban plastic bags wouldn’t end with her bill’s defeat. “It’s not a matter of if, but a matter of when consumers bring their own bags and become good stewards of the environment,” she said.

The measure had been supported by such varied groups as Californians Against Waste, the California Grocers Association, California State Land Commission, many municipalities, several waste management authorities, chambers of commerce, Orange County Interfaith Coalition for the Environment, Rite Aid and Super A Food.

On its own, Wal-mart started a pilot program at three of its Northern California stores, entirely banning plastic bags, and Benicia’s Climate Action Plan, its Community Sustainability Commission, and its garbage service contractor, Allied Waste, have encouraged the use of reusable shopping bags.

Besides the ACC, AB 1998 was opposed by the American Forest and Paper Association, the biodegradable Products institute, the California Forestry Association, the Central California Hispanic chamber of Commerce, and the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.

The ACC issued a statement Wednesday praising decision.

“We congratulate Senate members for discarding a costly bill that provides no real solutions to California’s litter problem and would have further jeopardized California’s already strained economy,” said Tim Shestek, ACC’s senior director of state affairs, said in a published statement.

Sharing is caring!