Bill > AB344

Introduced Session

Legislative Counsel's Digest: Section 11 of this bill creates the Plastic Bag Environmental Cleanup Fund for the purpose of cleaning up the environment. Section 12 of this bill requires a retailer to collect a fee of 10 cents per plastic bag from a customer who uses such a bag between July 1, 2017, and December 31, 2021. Section 12 further requires the money received pursuant to this fee of 10 cents to be deposited with the State Treasurer for credit to the Plastic Bag Environmental Cleanup Fund. Section 13 of this bill imposes a ban, beginning on January 1, 2022, on the distribution by a retailer of plastic bags to a customer. Section 13 additionally imposes a fine for any violation of the ban and requires the money received as a result to be deposited with the State Treasurer for credit to the State General Fund. Section 14 of this bill requires the health authority to at least once every year inspect retail establishments for the purposes of enforcing sections 12 and 13. Section 15 of this bill requires the health authority to issue a citation for any violation of sections 12 and 13. Section 15 additionally requires a citation to: (1) set forth the specific violations fund; (2) establish a specific and reasonable time for the correction of any violation; (3) state that failure to comply with the requirements of the citation may result in a fine of not more than $500; and (4) describe how a retailer may appeal the citation. Section 16 of this bill provides the requirements that must be satisfied for a citation to be deemed to have been properly served. Section 17 of this bill authorizes the Division of Environmental Protection of the State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to collect payments which are in default only in a professional, fair and lawful manner. Section 18 of this bill clarifies that a retailer may provide bags at checkout to a customer that are made of nonplastic materials.

AI Summary

Sandra Jauregui (D)*,  Tick Segerblom (D)*,  Heidi Swank (D)*,  Nelson Araujo (D),  Julia Ratti (D), 

(Pursuant to Joint Standing Rule No. 14.3.1, no further action allowed.) (on 04/15/2017)

Official Document