Texas House Bill HB2416

Texas 2013 - 83rd Regular

Caption

Relating to the provision of bags to customers of a business at the point of sale.

Impact

The act asserts that beginning September 1, 2013, local governments would no longer have the legal authority to enforce any prohibitions related to the distribution of bags that were adopted prior to this date. This means businesses will have uniformity in their operations across Texas, as they will not have to navigate a patchwork of varying local regulations. The bill is expected to create an environment where businesses are encouraged to provide plastic or other types of bags without fear of local penalties, aligning business practices to state law.

Summary

House Bill 2416, known as the Shopping Bag Freedom Act, aims to regulate the provision of bags at the point of sale by businesses. The bill authorizes businesses to provide any type of bag, package, or container to customers, thereby eliminating the authority of local governments to implement ordinances or regulations that restrict these practices. In essence, it centralizes the control over bag provision to the state level, nullifying any pre-existing local rules that may have placed restrictions on business practices regarding bags.

Contention

There are notable points of contention surrounding HB2416. Proponents argue that it protects consumer choice and supports businesses by removing unnecessary local regulations that can hinder operations. Critics, however, view the bill as undermining local autonomy and environmental efforts aimed at reducing plastic waste. They argue that cities and municipalities should have the right to legislate based on their specific environmental needs, which might include regulating the use of plastic bags and encouraging reusable options.