Authorizes grocery stores to provide certain single-use paper carryout bags to customers.
Summary
This bill amends New Jersey’s existing plastic bag law to allow grocery stores to provide single-use paper carryout bags, but only if the bags meet the state’s recycled-content standards. Under the bill, a “sustainable paper carryout bag” is a paper bag that meets or exceeds the postconsumer recycled content requirements already set in law: generally 40 percent recycled content on average, or 20 percent for paper bags that hold eight pounds or less. The bill leaves in place the broader prohibition on single-use plastic carryout bags for stores and food service businesses.
The measure also updates the statutory findings supporting the state’s bag restrictions, emphasizing plastic pollution, microplastics, environmental harm, and the role of recycled-content paper and hemp-based alternatives. It keeps the existing definitions of carryout bags, grocery stores, reusable bags, and related terms, while specifically carving out the new allowance for compliant paper bags at grocery stores. The bill takes effect immediately and amends P.L.2020, c.117, the law that established New Jersey’s statewide bag restrictions.
Impact
The bill would change state law by narrowing the current restriction on paper carryout bags at grocery stores and permitting a limited category of single-use paper bags that satisfy postconsumer recycled-content requirements. It would not repeal the ban on single-use plastic carryout bags, and it would continue to preempt counties and municipalities from adopting their own bag rules or prohibitions. The practical effect would be to give grocery stores a lawful paper-bag option again, but only for bags meeting the sustainability standard already incorporated into New Jersey law.
Sentiment
The bill text reflects a generally pro-environmental framing, but with a more flexible approach than the existing ban by allowing recycled-content paper bags. Because there are no committee transcripts or recorded votes provided, there is no documented floor or committee sentiment to summarize. Based on the sponsor’s statement and the bill’s structure, the measure appears intended as a compromise between waste-reduction goals and consumer/business demand for paper carryout bags.
Contention
The main policy tension is between reducing single-use waste and allowing grocery stores to use paper bags again. Supporters are likely to view the bill as a practical adjustment that preserves environmental standards while restoring a paper option for shoppers and retailers. Potential opponents may argue that paper bags still create waste, require energy to produce, and could weaken the state’s broader effort to reduce single-use carryout bags. Another point of contention is the bill’s continued statewide preemption, which prevents local governments from setting stricter or different bag rules.
A resolution to direct the Clerk of the House of Representatives to only present to the Governor enrolled House bills finally passed by both houses of the One Hundred Third Legislature.
Relating to nonsubstantive additions to, revisions of, and corrections in enacted codes, to the nonsubstantive codification or disposition of various laws omitted from enacted codes, and to conforming codifications enacted by the 88th Legislature to other Acts of that legislature.