Senate Bill 1018, outlawing plastic bags in three coastal counties along the Outer Banks passed this week in the House, after having passed the Senate 47 – 1 in May as posted here. Supporters of the bill believe outlawing plastic bags will protect our environment from excess litter and greenhouse gases.
It will be illegal for a retailer to provide customers with plastic bags unless it?s a reusable bag. Purchases of fresh fish, meat, poultry and produce are exempt from the bag law. Just to be sure government controls all bag usage, the law also restricts using paper bags, unless it?s recycled paper and allows a retailer to offer incentives to its customers to just bring their own reusable bags.
The vote in the House yesterday was 78-41. The bill goes back to the Senate for a final nod on a minor change made by the House and then over to the governor who is expected to sign it into law. The bag ban becomes effective September 1, 2009 in the three Outer Banks counties indicated in the bill.
Think your community is safe from a bag ban? Don?t. The bill states?.?The General Assembly makes the following findings?.. It is in the best interest of the citizens of this State to gradually reduce the distribution and use of plastic bags.?
Big brother is watching your bag.
