SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California Gov. Jerry Brown has indicated that he is likely to sign a bill imposing the nation's first statewide ban on single-use plastic bags as a way to address litter, primarily in waterways.
Senate Bill 270 is one of the last major bills pending Tuesday, the deadline for the governor to sign or veto the hundreds of bills sent to him during the final weeks of the legislative session.
The legislation will prohibit large grocery stores from carrying single-use bags starting in July 2015, expanding to smaller stores the year after. It also allows businesses to charge 10-cent fees to provide customers with reusable or paper bags.
More than 100 cities and counties, including San Francisco and Los Angeles, have their own plastic bag bans. State Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Los Angeles, says their successful implementation provided momentum for a statewide prohibition.
Read Wednesday’s Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.