From Reason (not AFNS):
The Garden State's plan to ban all grocery store bags could have negative consequences for consumer convenience and the environment.
In August 2018, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, vetoed a bill that would have imposed a five-cent fee on both paper and plastic carryout bags, arguing that the legislation did not do enough to protect the Garden State's famed natural beauty.
"Single-use carryout bags—particularly plastic bags—represent a significant source of the litter that clutters our communities and mars New Jersey's beautiful shoreline and parks," wrote Murphy in his veto statement. "Instituting a five-cent fee on single-use bags that only applies to certain retailers does not go far enough."
State legislators have clearly heard this message, floating proposals to ban not just plastic grocery bags, but all single-use bags—paper or plastic.
Working its way though the legislature right now is S2776. As written, the legislation would ban food service businesses and other retailers who have stores larger than 1,000 square feet from providing their customers with plastic bags. The bill would also naturally ban plastic straws.
Violators would be fined anywhere from $500 to $5,000 depending on the number of offenses.And here with additional commentary, Styx:
The bill passed one state Senate committee back in September 2018 but has been idling in the legislature ever since.
That was until late last week, when Sen. Bob Smith (D–Middlesex), one of the bill's sponsors, announced his intention to amend S2776 to ban these same stores from handing out paper bags too. The idea, Smith says, came to him while on vacation in Aruba, where a similar bag ban is in effect....MORE
