Bill > HB1412

This bill regulates how local jurisdictions (counties or municipal corporations) can impose fees on carryout bags at retail establishments. Specifically, local jurisdictions are prohibited from requiring retailers to charge for carryout bags after January 1, 2025, with an exception for existing laws that were in place before that date and that direct bag fee revenues exclusively to environmental support purposes. For any local jurisdictions still authorized to charge bag fees, the bill mandates that certain customers must be exempted from these charges: specifically, customers using funds from public assistance programs like SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), FIP (State Family Investment Program), or WIC (Women, Infants, and Children Program), as well as customers who are 65 years of age or older. The bill defines a "public assistance program" broadly as any publicly funded benefit program that can be used to purchase food. The legislation will take effect on October 1, 2025, and aims to provide consistent and consumer-friendly regulations around carryout bag fees across different local jurisdictions in Maryland.

Transportation and Infrastructure

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/HB1412?ys=2025RS