Proposition 67, California Plastic Bag Ban Referendum

Proposition 67 is a Referendum to overturn the California Statewide Ban on single-use plastic bags.  A “YES” vote would uphold the law and a “NO” vote would overturn it.

Fight The Plastic Bag Ban recommends a NO vote on this proposition.

In 2014, the California State Legislature passed a ban on single-use plastic bags which was signed into law by Governor Brown.  Subsequently, the new law was challenged through the referendum process by the American Progressive Bag Alliance (APBA).  The APBA collected signatures on petitions and a sufficient number of signatures were collected to put the law (SB-270) on the ballot for voter approval/disapproval.

If the law is upheld, the use of single-use plastic carryout bags would be prohibited and most but not all customers would be forced to pay 10-cents for each paper or plastic reusable bag distributed at the point of sale.

If the law is upheld, the law would create two classes of shoppers.  One class of shoppers would have to pay the 10-cents bag fee for each store-provided paper or plastic reusable bag; the other class of shoppers would be exempt and receive store-provided bags at no cost.  Customers who pay 10-cents each for store provided bags would subsidize the cost of providing bags to customer who are exempt from the bag fee.  The customers who are exempt from the bag fee are those customers who participate in public assistance programs, such as food stamps.

Whatever happened to treating all customers equally?

The 10-cent bag fee is not subject to sales tax and the entire amount collected is kept by store providing a huge windfall to grocers.  It should be noted that the law died in the California State Assembly, until the United Food and Commercial Workers Union and Safeway struck a deal regarding the 10-cent bag fee.

It should be noted, that voting NO on this proposition will not repeal local bag bans.  However, if voters reject the statewide bag ban, it will provide impetus to opponents of local bag bans and greatly assist in repealing them.

For more information about Proposition 67 see the following article: California Plastic Bag Ban Referendum, Proposition 67 (2016).

In addition, check out the following articles:

Plastic Bag Bans – Designed to Generate and Protect Bag Revenue from Competition!

Referendum to Overturn Ban on Plastic Grocery Bags Qualifies for 2016 Ballot

Dallas, TX City Council Repeals Bag Fee – Rejects Bag Ban

Arizona Governor Signs Bill to Prohibit Plastic Bag Bans

Proposition 65, Carry-Out Bags. Charges. Initiative Statute

Proposition 65 is an initiative statute that would redirects money collected by grocery and other retail stores through sale of carry-out bags and require those funds to be deposited into a special fund administered by the Wildlife Conservation Board to support specific environmental projects.  If voters pass Proposition 67 to uphold the state’s current carryout bag law, Proposition 65 would require that bag fees collected from shoppers be redirected to the state.  Revenues are expected to exceed tens of millions of dollars annually.  Revenues would be used for grants for certain environmental and natural resources purposes.  If voters reject the state’s current carryout bag law, there would likely be minor fiscal effects.

Fight The Plastic Bag Ban recommends a YES vote on this proposition.

For more information about Proposition 65 see the following article: California Carry-Out Bag Revenue Initiative, Proposition 65 (2016)

A plastic bag ban does not produce any significant environmental benefits in proportion to the cost and effort expended by shoppers.  In the article “Bag Bans – A Waste of Time and Money!” the author argues and demonstrates that bag bans are large on cost with negligible environmental benefits.  Proposition 65 if passed would deny a financial windfall to grocers and instead put that money towards real projects that benefit the environment.

In addition, check out the following articles:

Plastic Bag Bans – Designed to Generate and Protect Bag Revenue from Competition!

Plastic Bag Manufacturers File New Initiative