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Progressive Democrats throughout California secured a major victory today
when governor Jerry Brown signed the statewide ban on polluting plastic bags,
SB 270.
The popular law will hasten Californians’ shift to reusable bags, already
embraced by millions of residents and a fast‐growing product line in the state. It
halts a preventable form of costly, non‐biodegradable pollution that hits low‐ to
moderate‐income families in the wallet several times over.
Progressive Democrats throughout California secured a major victory today
when governor Jerry Brown signed the statewide ban on polluting plastic bags,
SB 270.
The popular law will hasten Californians’ shift to reusable bags, already
embraced by millions of residents and a fast‐growing product line in the state. It
halts a preventable form of costly, non‐biodegradable pollution that hits low‐ to
moderate‐income families in the wallet several times over.
EAPD and backers of SB 270 overcame a lobbying blitz, deceptive TV ads, and
mass mailers aimed at scuttling the bill, paid for by out‐of‐state plastic bag
makers. Some of the loudest voices on the far right, such as Grover Norquist,
backed up polluters’ campaign spending with pressure on California lawmakers
to kill the bill. The GOP candidate for governor echoed their contempt for our
environment and the bill’s boost to our green economy by mocking it.
“Winning SB 270 is California at its best,” says EAPD president Hans Johnson.
“Our diverse coalition conveyed strong scientific evidence to advocate boldly
before Democratic lawmakers and achieve good policy. The law makes our
communities cleaner. It creates sustainable jobs. And it sets an example for
other states. We thank Governor Brown for signing our state bag ban into law.”
“Stopping plastic bag pollution keeps us on a path to smarter waste policies and
healthier rivers and beaches,” says EAPD secretary Hector Huezo. “It’s also an
economic justice measure. Under the statewide law, customers who don’t use
plastic bags won’t have to pay for them in pass‐along costs in every grocery bill.
Besides creating jobs among reusable bag makers, the law will save cities more
than $30 million in costs from picking bags out of gutters, storm drains, and
waterways.”
California’s Democratic Party officially backed the statewide plastic bag ban. The
victory shows why Californians who care about stopping pollution and
stimulating job growth here should reelect Jerry Brown as governor and elect
Democrat Alex Padilla, sponsor of SB 270, as our Secretary of State on Nov. 4.
