EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1232*
HOUSE BILL 1232
L2, L3 5lr3078
By: Delegate Conaway
Introduced and read first time: February 7, 2025
Assigned to: Economic Matters
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Local Government – Fees, Receipts, and Penalties for Plastic and Paper 2
Carryout Bags 3
FOR the purpose of requiring certain retailers that charge a fee for providing a plastic or 4
paper carryout bag to a customer under a local law to provide a receipt to a customer 5
that includes the fee amount charged and the number of bags issued to the customer; 6
and generally relating to local fees for plastic and paper carryout bags. 7
BY adding to 8
Article – Local Government 9
Section 1–1321 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2013 Volume and 2024 Supplement) 12
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 14
Article – Local Government 15
1–1321. 16
(A) IN THIS SECTION , “RETAILER” MEANS A PERSON ENGAGED IN THE 17
RETAIL SALE OF GOODS . 18
(B) THIS SECTION APPLIES TO EACH COUNTY AND M UNICIPALITY. 19
(C) IF A COUNTY OR MUNICI PALITY ENACTS A LOCA L LAW THAT 20
AUTHORIZES OR REQUIR ES A RETAILER TO CHA RGE A FEE AT THE POI NT OF SALE 21
FOR PROVIDING A PLAS TIC OR PAPER CARRYOUT BAG T O A CUSTOMER, THE COUNTY 22
OR MUNICIPALITY SHAL L: 23 2 HOUSE BILL 1232
(1) REQUIRE A RETAILER THAT CHARGES THE FEE TO PROVIDE A 1
RECEIPT TO A CUSTOMER THAT CLEARL Y IDENTIFIES THE FEE AMOUNT CHARGED 2
AND NUMBER OF PLASTI C OR PAPER CARRYOUT BAGS ISSUED TO THE CUSTOMER; 3
AND 4
(2) PROVIDE FOR THE ENFO RCEMENT OF ITEM (1) OF THIS 5
SUBSECTION THROUGH A SYSTEM OF CIVIL PENA LTIES FOR VIOLATIONS AS 6
FOLLOWS: 7
(I) FOR A FIRST OFFENSE , A CIVIL PENALTY NOT EXCEEDING 8
$250; 9
(II) FOR A SECOND OFFENSE , A CIVIL PENALTY NOT EXCEEDING 10
$500; AND 11
(III) FOR A THIRD OR SUBSE QUENT OFFENSE , A CIVIL PENALTY 12
NOT EXCEEDING $1,000. 13
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 14
October 1, 2025. 15