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History
- Referred to investigations and government operations
- Referred to investigations and government operations
Full text
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Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:S3127
Title of bill
An act to amend the tax law and the state finance law, in relation to imposing a surcharge on plastic shopping bags used to transport every sale of tangible personal property by consumers
Purpose
This bill restricts the use of plastic shopping bags by assessing a two cent tax on plastic bags; provides vouchers for reusable bags.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 establishes definitions and assesses a five cent surcharge on plastic shopping bags; provides for exemptions; and directs revenue to the State Environmental Protection Fund.
Section 2 provides for the funding of the reusable bag voucher program through the solid waste account of the State Environmental Protection Fund.
Section 3 establishes the effective date.
Justification
Over 6.3 billion plastic shopping bags are used each year in New York State alone. Manufactured from the petroleum byproduct ethylene, plastic bag production contributes over 12 million barrels of oil annually to American consumption. These throw away bags get caught in our trees, blow down streets and wash up on our beaches. They last up to a thousand years as they crowd landfills, congest sewer pipes and endanger marine and wildlife. Only an estimated 0.6 percent of grocery bags are recycled and curbside recyclers don't want them because they clog their machinery. This legislation transitions consumers toward long-lasting reusable shopping bags in order to minimize the introduction of new plastic bags into the environment.
Legislative history
04/27/09 Referred to Investigations & Government Operations 01/06/10 Referred to Investigations & Government Operations
Fiscal implications
The State will realize an estimated $163 million in annual revenue directed to the Environmental Protection Fund to support the reusable bag voucher program and other environmental initiatives.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the first of September next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.