Summary
Phases out single-use plastic grocery bags. Reusable, paper, and (in certain jurisdictions) compostable plastic bags can only be distributed with a minimum 10 cent charge. Includes standards and incentives for plastic bag manufacturers to transition to making reusable bags.

Update: Governor Jerry Brown signed SB 270 into law!  

Description
The total cost to manage plastic bag litter in our streets, our waterways, and even our recycling facilities and landfills amounts to millions being unnecessarily spent each year.

This bill seeks to reduce those costs by prohibiting single-use plastic grocery bags in supermarkets and drugstores starting July 1, 2015. By July 1, 2016, smaller grocery stores and convenience stores must also comply with the requirements. Other bags (paper, reusable, and in some jurisdictions, compostable) are allowed only with a ten cent minimum charge. Local ordinances adopted before September 1, 2014, which currently cover a third of the state's population, would be protected under a grandfathering clause.

This bill also seeks to protect and create green jobs by creating standards and incentives for plastic bag manufacturers to transition to making reusable bags.

FAQ - Living Without Single-Use Plastic Grocery Bags

CAW Staff Contacts
Mark Murray (916) 443-5422

Sue Vang

Current Language, Analyses and Votes 

Senator Alex Padilla
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814

Senator Kevin de León
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814

Senator Ricardo Lara
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814

 

Support

All One Ocean 
Azul 
Bag It 
Black Surfers Collective 
BlueGreen Alliance 
California Association of Environmental Health Administrators 
California Coastal Coalition 
California Coastkeeper 
California Grocers Association 
California League of Conservation Voters 
California Retailers Association 
Californians Against Waste 
Center for Biological Diversity 
Center for Oceanic Awareness, Research, and Education 
ChicoEco, Inc. 
City of Clayton 
City of Concord 
City of Culver City 
City of Los Angeles 
City of Long Beach, Vice Mayor Suja Lowenthal 
City of Manhattan Beach
City of Oceanside 
City of Palm Desert 
City of Palo Alto
City of Sacramento 
City of Sacramento, Council Member Kevin McCarty 
City of San Diego, Council Member Sherri Lightner 
City of San Jose, Council Member Sam Liccardo 
City of San Luis Obispo, Council Member John Ashbough 
City of San Rafael 
City of Santa Monica 
City of Sunnyvale
City and County of San Francisco 
Clean Oceans Competition 
Clean Water Action 
Colorado Ocean Coalition
Command Packaging 
Community Environmental Council 
Contra Costa Clean Water Program 
Costa Mesa Sanitary District 
County of Contra Costa 
County of Los Angeles, Supervisor Gloria Molina 
County of Los Angeles, Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas 
County of Marin 
County of San Mateo 
County of Santa Barbara 
County of Santa Clara 
Don't Waste LA 
Earthwise Bag Company Inc.
Environment California 
Five Gyres Institute 
Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives 
Global Green USA 
Green Cities California 
Green Sangha 
Green Vets Los Angeles 
Green Waste Recovery 
Heal The Bay 
Help Animals India 
Hidden Resources 
Humboldt Waste Management Authority 
Latino Coalition for a California Bag Ban 
Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy 
Los Angeles Leadership Council
Los Angeles Neighborhood Council Alliance of River Communities 
Napa Recycling and Waste Services 
Napa Valley CanDo 
Natural Resources Defense Council 
Ocean Project 
Pacoima Beautiful 
Planning and Conservation League 
Plastic Free Himalayas 
Plastic Free Seas 
Plastic Paradise 
Plastic Pollution Coalition 
Plastic Soup Foundation 
Plasticbaglaws.org 
Recology 
Republic Services 
Reusable Bag Association 
Sachamama 
Santa Barbara Channelkeeper 
Seventh Generation Advisors 
Sierra Club California 
Silicon Valley Leadership Group 
Surfrider Foundation 
Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii 
Target 
Team Marine, Santa Monica High School & Santa Monica College 
Town of Yucca Valley 
Turtle Island Restoration Network 
United Food and Commercial Workers
Western Center on Law and Poverty 
Wildcoast 
World Society for the Protection of Animals 
Zero Waste Humboldt 
Zero Waste San Diego 
11,345 individuals (petition)