See SB1363 Bill Status and language

Environmental Protection; Plastic Checkout Bags; Fee
Requires businesses in the State to collect a 5-cent fee for each single-use checkout bag provided to a customer. Allows for exemptions. Provides for fees to be deposited in the general fund. Requires fees to be collected on paper bags in counties that currently have ordinances banning plastic bags. Effective July 1, 2011. (SB1363 HD1) ($)

Proponents of the bill argue that consumers already pay for these bags, but the cost is hidden in the overall price of the products we buy. Experience in other states and countries has shown that once people are made aware of what these bags cost – by being required to pay a small fee per bag at the checkout- they change their behavior and start to employ reusable bags.

The bill is going to the Finance Finance committee next and then to a vote in the full House and Senate.

Maui County already bans plastic bags but does not require a fee for using paper bags.

If you have an opinion one way or another you can email:
sens@capitol.hawaii.gov
reps@capitol.hawaii.gov

Here are some things that people have said:

* I strongly support legislative efforts to reduce the use of paper and plastic bags.
* I oppose this bill because I don’t want another tax and I don’t want to have to bring my own reusable bag when I shop.
* Over 12,000 plastic bags are used in the United States every second.
* In this country we consume  100 billion throwaway plastic bags every year made from some 12 million barrels of oil.
* These bags clog our streets, foul our open space, pollute our fragile marine environment and kill thousands if animals every year.

In the time it has taken you to read this message, about 500,000 throwaway plastic bags have been used