Prohibiting Local Ordinances Banning Containers

The Senate Local Government Committee approved a bill Tuesday, April 24, that would prohibit counties, cities and towns from imposing restrictions or prohibitions on the use of auxiliary containers, including plastic bags, cups, bottles or other packaging. According to the bill sponsor, Senator Dan Hall, R-Burnsville, the bill is intended to provide statewide uniformity on the use and sale of the containers.

"In the end, statewide uniformity is important as a way for consumer choice and options, to protect against patchwork regulation and support thousands of American manufacturing jobs," Hall said.

In expressing her concern over the bill, Senator Carolyn Laine, DFL-Columbia Heights, said that in failing to ban plastic bags and other harmful containers, "...we haven't solved that problem yet, and it is very serious. It isn't just a capitalistic thing, it's a personal health thing for everybody and our future. We have to solve this problem."

In response, Hall said, "I just believe this is a state issue, and it's best done by the state and not by the cities, towns or counties."

"I think it's very shortsighted to say that we're going to take this away from local governments at this time without having that in-depth conversation at the state level about what are we going to do to address environmental issues," said Senator Melissa Wiklund, DFL-Bloomington.

The bill was approved by the committee and sent to the Commerce and Consumer Protection Finance and Policy Committee.