An objective of HtB's legislative work is to reduce plastic carryout bag consumption and pollution.
Trash, much of it plastic, in the Los Angeles River. Photo: Heal the Bay.
Sea lion pup ingesting a plastic bag. Every year, over one million sea birds and 100,000 marine mammals and sea turtles die due to marine debris (86% of which is plastic) worldwide. Image: Whale Rescue Team

A weaker competing bill, AB 2058, was approved which would implement a 15-cent bag fee only if recycling goals are not met. However, proposed changes to AB 2058 look promising.

On April 14th, the Assembly Natural Resources Committee considered two competing bills targeting plastic bags.

The committee voted against AB 2829, a bill that would have imposed a mandatory fee on plastic carryout bags. Authored by Assemblymember Mike Davis (D-Los Angeles), AB 2829 proposed a statewide fee of 25 cents per bag by 2009.

AB 2829 was strongly supported by Heal the Bay and L.A. County as it would have marked the most aggressive action by any state legislature in the nation to curb the proliferation of plastic bags and limit their negative impacts on the environment.

The committee passed its competing bill, AB 2058, authored by Assemblymember Lloyd Levine (D-Van Nuys), which is weaker because it would give grocery chains and large drug stores three years to meet recycling goals to reduce plastic carryout bag pollution, with an eventual fee of 15 cents if the future targets are not met.

Disappointment, Yet Promising Changes

Although Heal the Bay is disappointed that the committee denied the stronger of the two bills, the future looks promising for statewide plastic bag legislation in California. In negotiations surrounding the hearing, Assemblymember Levine agreed to:

• Bring on Assemblymembers Davis and Brownley (D-Santa Monica) as joint authors of AB 2058.
• Amend the bill to increase the fee from 15 to 25 cents.
• Streamline the the bill's recycling targets.
• Include language in the bill repealing previous legislation that preempts local governments from placing a fee on plastic carryout bags.

Heal the Bay looks forward to continuing to work with Assemblymember Davis, who has been a rising champion on the issue of marine debris. It is particularly exciting to have Assemblymember Brownley as a joint author on the bill given her strength, commitment to the environment and long history of work with Heal the Bay.