Legislation to Ban Plastic Bags From Grocery Checkouts Passes in State Assembly, Senate

Legislation to ban plastic bags from grocery store checkouts, authored in part by an Encinitas lawmaker, has passed both the Assembly and state Senate.

SB 1053 and AB 2236, authored by Sen. Catherine Blakespear (D-Encinitas) and Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-Orinda), are identical bills that are intended to close a loophole in California’s ban of single-use plastic bags at grocery store checkouts, which was first passed in 2014 and then approved by the state’s voters in 2016.

It allowed stores to sell customers thicker plastic carryout bags that were considered reusable and met certain recyclability standards.

However, ten years later, few, if any, of these bags are reused or recycled; instead, they end up in landfills or polluting the environment.

In fact, according to CalRecycle, the amount of grocery and merchandise bags disposed by Californians grew from 157,385 tons of plastic bags the year California passed the bag ban to 231,072 tons by 2022, a 47% increase.

Sen. Blakespear said that the bills are intended to honor the original intent of the 2016 ban.

“Instead of being asked do you want paper or plastic at checkout, consumers will simply be asked if they want a paper bag,” Blakespear said.

“This easy change eliminates plastic bags from the point of sale and helps California significantly reduce the plastic waste that is contaminating our environment and waters.”

Blakespear partnered with Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan to author identical bills and push them through their own houses in order to build momentum for the policy.

“We deserve a cleaner future for our communities, our children and our earth,” said Bauer-Kahan.

“It’s time for us to get rid of these plastic bags and continue to move forward with a more pollution-free environment.”

The Senate passed AB 2236 on Wednesday night, and the Assembly passed SB 1053 on Thursday. The two bills will now return to their houses of origin for concurrence votes before being sent to the governor to sign.