AUGUSTA – The Maine Senate today soundly defeated a bill that would have banned plastic bags statewide.
The bill, LD 325, would have prohibited Maine retailers from using plastic bags for their customers’ purchases after September, 2020.
Senator Tom Saviello (R-Franklin), who is the chair of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee, called the legislation unnecessary. “Municipalities already have the ability to put their own restrictions on plastic bags, so there’s no need to have the state mandate this.
“When it comes to pollution, we have much bigger problems than plastic bags, and given the potential impact on business, I found this legislation unnecessary,” Senator Saviello said.
Senate Majority Leader Garrett Mason (R-Androscoggin) said, “This is a jobs-killing bill and a perfect example of what we should not be doing in the Maine Legislature. This would have made the cost of doing business higher and been a huge inconvenience to those who spend their hard-earned money in our places of business. Rejecting this bill was the right move.”
The bill was defeated by a vote of 24-10.