Title
Plastic Bag Ordinance (B)
The City Commission referred the issue of banning plastic shopping bags to the Recreation, Cultural Affairs, and Public Works Committee for discussion.
Explanation
In the intervening months since this topic was taken up, the State Legislature passed the Energy Bill which, among other things, establishes a 75% recycling rate to be achieved by the year 2020. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) was given the task of designing a plan by 2010 to meet those goals. Section 403.7033 of that bill prohibits local governments from enacting any rule, regulation or ordinance regarding use, disposition, sale, prohibition, restriction or tax of disposable plastic bags until such time as the Legislature adopts the recommendations of the DEP. Although the new law has limited local government's ability to address the issue through ordinances, it has not limited our local populace from acting on their own initiative. More stores than ever are offering reusable shopping bags at very low prices to their Gainesville customers, and more and more local citizens are making a conscious decision to avoid using disposable shopping bags whenever possible.
Fiscal Note
None
Recommendation
The Recreation, Cultural Affairs and Public Works Committee: 1) hear a status report of the issue of banning plastic bags; and 2) remove from this item from the Active Referral List.