Hunting - Lead and Lead-Based Ammunition - Phase-Out
Summary
HB1067 would require counties and municipalities that already authorize or require retailers to charge a fee for plastic or paper carryout bags to exempt certain transactions from that fee. Specifically, if a customer pays using benefits from the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or the federal Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), the retailer may not charge the carryout bag fee for that purchase.
The bill applies statewide to local governments, but only in jurisdictions that have adopted bag-fee laws. It does not create a new bag fee or ban local bag-fee ordinances; instead, it limits how those local fees may be applied to purchases made with SNAP or WIC benefits. The bill is set to take effect October 1, 2025.
Impact
The bill adds a new section to the Local Government Article, Section 1-1321, establishing a statewide restriction on local plastic and paper carryout bag fee ordinances. It affects counties, municipalities, retailers, and customers using SNAP or WIC benefits by prohibiting the collection of bag fees in those transactions. Existing local bag-fee programs may remain in place, but they must carve out these federally assisted purchases.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or vote detail in the provided materials, the measure appears to be a targeted consumer-relief bill with a narrow scope rather than a broadly controversial policy change. The available context does not show organized opposition or support, but the structure of the bill suggests an intent to protect low-income shoppers using nutrition assistance benefits from additional checkout charges.
Contention
The main point of potential contention is the interaction between local environmental or revenue-oriented bag-fee policies and the exemption for SNAP and WIC transactions. Supporters would likely emphasize fairness and reducing costs for benefit recipients, while opponents of the exemption could argue it weakens local bag-fee policies or complicates retailer compliance. No specific stakeholder positions or committee objections were provided in the available record.