Aug 27 - Plastic Bag Ban Bill Must Pass Out of Legislature by Tuesday

AB 1998 must pass off the Senate and Assembly floors by the end of Tuesday. AB 1998 is currently pending a Senate Floor vote. The bill bans plastic bags at supermarkets, pharmacies, convenience stores and similar stores. AB 1998 will eliminate 19 billion plastic bags currently distributed annually. The bill will also end the current practice of passing along the costs of single-use bags in the form of higher grocery costs. Instead, AB 1998 will require retailers to charge consumer the actual average cost of paper bags so that consumers can make an informed decision on whether to purchase a single-use bag or use a reusable bag for free.