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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1699 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 887
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
David M. Rogers
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act restricting distribution of single-use plastic straws.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:David M. Rogers24th Middlesex1/18/2023Michelle M. DuBois10th Plymouth2/7/2023 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1699 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 887
By Representative Rogers of Cambridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 887) of
David M. Rogers and Michelle M. DuBois relative to restricting distribution of single-use plastic
straws. Environment and Natural Resources.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 998 OF 2021-2022.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act restricting distribution of single-use plastic straws.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 Chapter 140 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, is hereby
2amended by inserting after section 6B the following section:–
3 Section 6C. (a) As used in this section the following terms shall, unless the context
4clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:-
5 “Food establishment”, an operation that stores, prepares, packages, serves, vends, or
6otherwise provides food for human consumption, including but not limited to any establishment
7requiring a permit to operate in accordance with the State Food Code.
8 “Single-use plastic straw”, a single-use, disposable tube made predominantly of plastic
9derived from either petroleum or a biologically based polymer, such as corn or other plant 2 of 2
10sources, used to transfer a beverage from a container to the mouth of the person drinking the
11beverage. “Single-use plastic straw” shall not include a straw made from non-plastic materials,
12including, but not limited to, paper, pasta, sugar cane, wood, or bamboo.
13 (b) A food establishment shall not provide a single-use plastic straw to a customer unless
14requested by the customer.
15 (c) The relevant licensing authority applicable to the food establishment may enforce the
16provisions of this section for a first violation of this section by providing a written warning and
17for a second or subsequent violation a fine of $25 for each day food establishment is in violation,
18but not to exceed $300 annually.