Opposition to AB 1998, “bag ban bill,” is growing rapidly across the state of California.
Hundreds of businesses, many of them small grocers and retailers have joined forces with manufacturing associations, chambers of commerce and plastic bag makers statewide to send a clear message to the state government: start focusing on the real problems facing Californians.
In its current iteration, AB 1998 would prohibit large grocers, drug stores, food marts and convenience stores from providing their customers free plastic bags and require a minimum five-cent fee on paper bags. The Senate Appropriations Committee determined that AB 1998 would require $2 million in new state costs to fund a new “bag police” bureaucracy. The fees collected from paper bags would be pocketed by grocers and would not fund the infrastructure required by the bill. The passage of AB 1998 would result in the elimination of hundreds of California-based plastic bag manufacturing jobs and would dismantle a young, but growing, plastic bag recycling infrastructure.
AB 1998 is pending consideration by the Senate Rules Committee after it was moved from the Senate Appropriations Committee late last week without a vote. Because AB 1998 did not meet the August 13 committee reporting deadline, it would require a 2/3 majority to pass to the Senate floor for final consideration before the legislature adjourns August 31.
The growing list of those opposing AB 1998 includes:
Fiesta Foods
Food Fair Market
Market Produce
Sierra Produce
Whittier Farms
Garden Ranch Market
Black Business Association
California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce
California Manufacturers & Technology Association
California Film Extruders & Converters Association
Californians for Extended Producer Responsibility
Silicon Valley Black Chamber of Commerce
Long Beach Black Chamber of Commerce
Moreno Valley Black Chamber of Commerce
Sacramento Black Chamber of Commerce
Regional Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, (Long Beach)
Downey Chamber of Commerce
San Diego Urban Economic Corporation
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Alameda County
Redondo Beach Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau
Hispanic Chambers of Commerce Silicon Valley
Carson Black Chamber of Commerce
Central California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Fresno
Los Angeles Metro Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
South Bay Latino Chamber of Commerce, Los Angeles
Cambodian Chamber of Commerce, Long Beach
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Orange County
Inland Empire Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
California Coalition of Filipino American Chambers of Commerce, Los Angeles
American Chemistry Council
For a full list of the nearly 500 small businesses and organizations opposed to AB 1998 and more information about the fight against AB 1998, visit www.stopthebagpolice.com. Visitors are also invited to sign up to receive updates.
SOURCE: The American Chemistry Council