“The Bring Your Own Bag Bill bans single-use plastic carryout bags to assist in the clean-up of our waterways, parks and public spaces and advance public health,” Vice President Stewart said. “The bill encourages people to bring reusable bags with them shopping and improves the process for our local businesses. Working with environmentalists, retailers and local chambers of commerce, this bill aligns with nine other neighboring areas around Maryland and moves toward a more sustainable future for the County.”

The Bring Your Own Bag (BYOB) Bill (Bill 24-24) would prohibit plastic carryout bags provided by a retail establishment and require a small tax on paper carryout bags at the point of sale, with certain exceptions. 

The legislation revises the County’s current carryout bag tax, which was implemented through the Council’s passage of Bill 8-11 in May 2011. The carryout bag tax placed a five-cent tax on paper or plastic carryout bags provided by retail establishments to help fund the County’s stormwater management program. Under Bill 8-11, retail establishments must remit four cents per bag to the County and keep one cent per bag to cover administrative costs. 

In a report released in June 2023, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) found that poor administration and implementation of the carryout bag tax law has diminished its potential impact, and the OIG made recommended improvements to the program. The BYOB Bill addresses legislative changes to improve the effectiveness of the carryout bag tax law. 

The BYOB Bill would increase the bag fee for paper bags from five to 10 cents, with five cents allocated to the retailers and five cents allocated to the Water Quality Protection Charge fund. Recipients of food assistance programs, including Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Women, Infants, and Children Program (WIC), would be exempt from the carryout bag tax. 

Councilmembers Laurie-Anne Sayles, Evan Glass, Natali Fani-González, Will Jawando and Sidney Katz are cosponsors. A public hearing will be held on a later date. Additional information can be found in the staff report.