Plastic bag ban gets approved in New York state budget
The Democrat-controlled New York Legislature has passed legislation that will make the state the second in the U.S. to have a statewide ban on single-use plastic bags.
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Apr 1, 2019, 11:04 AM
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Updated 1,943 days ago
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The Democrat-controlled New York Legislature has passed legislation that will make the state the second in the U.S. to have a statewide ban on single-use plastic bags.
Lawmakers passed the measure Sunday afternoon, a little more than 12 hours after Cuomo and the fellow Democratic leaders announced an agreement on a $175.5 billion budget for the next fiscal year that begins Monday.
The legislation banning most plastic bags provided to customers at supermarkets and other retail businesses also allows counties to opt in on a 5-cent fee on paper bags.
The proceeds will go to local governments and New York's Environmental Protection Fund.
The ban will go into effect statewide March 1, 2020.
California has had a statewide plastic bag ban since 2016.
All of Hawaii's counties ban plastic bags, but it's not a state-mandated ban.
AP wire services helped contribute to this report.
