California's plastic-bag ban suspended by ballot referendum

[alp227]

Source: AP

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A trade group has turned in enough signatures to qualify a referendum on California's plastic bag ban law, suspending implementation of the nation's first statewide ban until voters weigh in on the November 2016 ballot, state elections officials said Tuesday.

The plastic bag manufacturing trade group American Progressive Bag Alliance had 555,000 of the roughly 505,000 valid signatures needed to qualify the referendum after a random sample of the signatures, said Bill Mabie, chief deputy for Secretary of State Alex Padilla. The group had submitted more than 800,000 at the end of last year.

After one of the fiercest legislative battles of the year, pitting bag-makers against environmentalists, Gov. Jerry Brown signed the bill last fall. It was scheduled to be phased in starting in July at large grocery stores and supermarkets as a way to cut down on litter and protect marine life.

But the American Progressive Bag Alliance said the ban amounts to a cash giveaway to grocers that would lead to a loss of thousands of manufacturing jobs. The alliance says Californians now have a chance to weigh in.

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/522d2c9e68cb4b00bcd8659f92c87721/californias-plastic-bag-ban-suspended-ballot-referendum

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"Plastic bag ban" is a misleading phrase. It only bans stores from providing plastic bags. Doesn't ban people from buying garbage bags.

[NYC_SKP]

1. Silliness, my community banned bags in 2011. People just need to bring their own in.

The American Progressive Bag Alliance is anything but progressive.

[upaloopa]

2. We already have places were plastic bags are banned

We carry cloth bags when we go to SLO County. Once you get use to it the plastic bags aren't missed much as I see it.
The plastic bags are good for cleaning the cat box but I could find something else. I find styrofoam is the biggest problem with junk in the sea. Near the beaches beer and wine bottles and plastic cups make up most of the trash.

[riversedge]

4. yes, we went to cloth

a few years ago. kinda of a drag when I forget to put them back in the car. have to scamper to find some boxes around the store. Have to pay for the paper at Aldi's.


I use a double paper bag for litter. still use plastic for the garbage as not find anything that will not leak and kids always tossing in some liquid.

[davidpdx]

3. So they "bought" themselves about another year and a half of stores in California

being able to use plastic bags. I predict this one will be soundly defeated and the original measure will be implimented.

[JDPriestly]

7. i willl continue to bring my bags. Don't need those flimsy, ugly thin plastic ones.

They are a nuisance. The recycle bins at the store are always overflowing. And I have no use for them at home. I love the heavier bags and plan to make a bunch of fun cloth bags just because I can do my own designs.

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

5. Loss of thousands of manufacturing jobs,

more likely the loss of thousands of marine critters lives from the use of these bags.

[olddots]

6. where are the bags made ????????

conservatives conserving ignorance once again .

[Warpy]

8. Making "Plarn," yarn from plastic bags, is a thing in craft circles these days

Last edited Tue Feb 24, 2015, 06:02 PM - Edit history (1)

Plastic bags are cut on the bias into long strips and spun into yarn which is then woven or crocheted into items, not the least of which are totes to be used as durable shopping bags. It's a great way to use up all that cheesy mylar, turning it into something durable and practical. It's just a shame that the bags here in the US come in such butt ugly colors. There might be a wider variety of woven items that could be made if we weren't stuck with grey, tan, white, and ugly blues.

ETA: Found the video:

https://vimeo.com/108140657

[Comrade Grumpy]

9. Headline is misleading. All that's happened is...

...that the initiative to suspend the ban has qualified for the ballot. It still has to win at the ballot.

[Comrade Grumpy]

16. I was wrong. Getting the signatures means the law is suspended.

At least, that's my understanding now.

[SunSeeker]

10. The signature gatherers lied about this proposition to get signatures.

This guy came up to me in a Vons parking lot trying to get me to sign the petition to get this on the ballot by saying the plastic bag ban is a fraud that just puts money in the hands of government and big corporations.

Seriously fucked up that it got on the ballot.

[Gormy Cuss]

11. It's also a misnomer because it adds fees for paper and other bags while exempting many plastic bags

As much as I dislike the statewide ban law for the above reasons I was looking forward to the consistency it would introduce. The patchwork of local laws is a bit annoying. Now I can be annoyed that it's going to a referendum

[cascadiance]

12. If TPP wins, it won't matter. TPP tribunal court will overturn plastic bag bans, etc.

... for helping "impede competition" or some nonsense like that.

The WTO from NAFTA helped get rid of dolphin safe tuna labels in earlier times. TPP will give these bums a lot more power...

[jaysunb]

13. Give hemp a chance :) n/t

[onehandle]

14. California's ballot referendum system is total crapola. nt

[Comrade Grumpy]

15. Yeah, direct democracy really sucks.

About half the states have the initiative and referendum option.

It's good for getting movement on issues where legislatures are unresponsive. Marijuana law reform is one obvious example. Every state where pot is now legal did it through the initiative process.

The initiative process is a tool. Like any other tool, it can be used for good or bad.

[onehandle]

17. Gun nuts, looneytarians, corporations and other hate groups love that 'tool.'

Like electing judges, it primary benefits the far right.

My guess is that you like the Citizens United ruling too.

Freedumb!