Status (overview) of bill: https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2019R1/Measures/Overview/HB2509
Personal Choice and Responsibility
No personal choice or responsibility. Removes choice and the ability to recycle in creative ways, such as reusing bags as a cost savings.
Fiscal Responsibility
Irresponsible use of DEQ staff who are already overloaded with more important duties. Establishes DEQ fine of $250 per day and requires DEQ to inspect or investigate establishments already regulated by state Department of Agriculture.
Limited Government
Unlimited government invasion into personal lives. Establishes DEQ fine of $250 per day and requires DEQ to inspect or investigate establishments already regulated by state Department of Agriculture.
Local Control
Authorizes a city, county, or other local government to adopt or amend a local provision to prohibit or limit the use of recycled paper checkout bags, reusable fabric checkout bags, reusable plastic checkout bags, or single-use checkout bags by a restaurant or a retail establishment that is identical to the provisions in this Act, except that a restaurant or retail establishment may charge a lower fee for a bag if their local government charged the fee before the effective date of this Act.
Free Markets
Amended to allow a retail establishment to provide reusable fabric checkout bags or recycled paper checkout bags to customers at no cost as a promotion on no more than 12 days in a calendar year, otherwise a five cent fee is charged per bag, except to people with an electronic benefits transfer card or voucher under the Women, Infants, and Children Program.
SAMPLE TESTIMONY TO COPY AND PASTE into email to your Senator
HB 2509B – I OPPOSE banning single-use bags as a government overreach.
There is more wrong than right with this bill. The shift from plastic to paper isn’t what it seems. Paper produces more greenhouse gases, destroys trees, creates more water pollution, produces more waste volume in land fills, and doesn’t biodegrade any faster than plastic. Reusable bags are breeding ground for bad molds and bacteria that children are susceptible to potentially increasing school absentee rates.
Loose plastic in waters found in Pacific garbage patches are not caused from Oregon, and nothing Oregon does will save any sea life.
Will this bill really help anything except make life more difficult for many Oregonians? Vote NO and stop government overreach without a justified cause.
[name – county]
Another case of someone given a little authority and assuming that because they have the peoples best interest in mind that their plans will be acceptable.
Another case of government overstepping what they are really supposed to be doing, and butting into peoples lives unnecessarily.
Always the government grows trying to protect the people, protecting the environment, saving the people from themselves. This scheme has worked hundreds of times and I’m confident it will work again. Meanwhile the Oregon legislators will continue to save the planet by running roughshod across the constitution.
Another case of we know better than you. If you want to curb plastic bags, make the case and let the voting public decide.