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The Los Angeles City Council will decide Friday whether or not to officially support Santa Monica Assemblywoman Julia Brownley’s ban on plastic bags. The resolution (.pdf) formally supports the bill under the stipulations that legislators consider amendments that keep in-store recycle programs open. Already in effect, AB 2449 requires all California grocery stores to collect and recycle plastic grocery bags, provide bag reuse, and implement public education programs. Councilmembers wish to keep this bill intact for fear Brownley’s new bill will excuse grocery retailers from the required recycling programs. The resolution also requests an amendment that bans only the bags mentioned in the state bill regardless of city law.
If passed the City’s support for the bill will come just in time for the next State Senate Environmental Quality Committee, where the plastic bag ban will be heard on Monday.