HB 264-SHOPPING BAG FEES & RECYCLING  3:35:43 PM CHAIR KITO announced that the final order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 264, "An Act relating to a fee for disposable shopping bags; relating to the sale of reusable shopping bags; relating to the recycling of disposable shopping bags; and providing for an effective date." 3:36:10 PM REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON said he had prepared several amendments, and moved to adopt Amendment 1, labeled 30- LS1178\R.1, Nauman, 3/26/18, which read as follows: Page 3, line 25: Delete "July 1, 2019" Insert "January 1, 2020" REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON explained that the Amendment is designed to put off the effective date for 6 months to 20 months out to get people ready for the concept of going to stores and retail sites and carry away their goods in something other than a lightweight shopping bag. 3:37:22 PM CHAIR KITO removed his objection. There being no further objections, Amendment 1 was adopted. 3:37:35 PM REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON moved to adopt Amendment 2, labeled 30- LS1178\R.4, Nauman, 4/5/18, which read as follows: Page 1, line 2: Delete "relating to the sale of reusable shopping  bags;" Page 2, lines 25 - 26: Delete all material. Reletter the following subsections accordingly. Page 2, line 28: Delete ", (c), or (d)" Insert "or (c)" CHAIR KITO objected for discussion. 3:37:57 PM LISA DELANEY, Staff, Representative Andy Josephson, Alaska State Legislature, explained Amendment 2 on behalf of Representative Josephson. She said the amendment would remove the requirement for retailers to sell plastic bags at point of sale. CHAIR KITO asked for confirmation that retailers would be allowed to sell bags, but not required to. MS. DELANEY confirmed that was correct. CHAIR KITO removed his objection. There being no other objection, Amendment 2 was adopted. 3:38:49 PM REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON moved to adopt Amendment 3, labeled 30- LS1178\R.3, Nauman, 4/5/18, which read as follows: Page 1, lines 1 - 2: Delete "relating to a minimum price for paper and  other shopping bags;" Page 1, lines 10 - 11: Delete "and the minimum price established in (c) of this section do" Insert "does" Page 2, lines 12 - 24: Delete all material. Reletter the following subsections accordingly. Page 2, line 28: Delete ", (c), or (d)" Insert "or (c)" Page 3, line 21: Delete ";" Insert "." Page 3, lines 22 - 24: Delete all material. MS. DELANEY explained the amendment would remove the .10 minimum fee for non-plastic bags or bags that are thicker than 4 millimeters. REPRESENTATIVE STUTES asked whether the amendment would remove the ban on bags thinner than or thicker than 4 millimeters. She asked whether it would remove all charges for any bags. MS. DELANEY answered in the affirmative. She said it would prohibit only the "very thin, flimsy bags." 3:40:02 PM CHAIR KITO removed his objection to Amendment 3. 3:40:08 PM REPRESENTATIVE KNOPP asked whether the 4 millimeter size is mentioned in the bill. REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON answered it is found on page 3, line 20. 3:40:36 PM CHAIR KITO stated that Amendment 3 was adopted. 3:40:47 PM CHAIR KITO remarked there is a lot of support within his communities for the ban. He spoke to the time when paper was seen as more damaging to the environment and plastic bags were considered more environmentally friendly. He said he thinks this is a good idea and something to do on a state-wide basis 3:42:10 PM REPRESENTATIVE WOOL moved to report HB 264 out of committee as amended with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. 3:42:23 PM REPRESENTATIVE SULLIVAN-LEONARD objected. 3:42:29 PM A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Josephson, Wool, Knopp, Stutes, and Kito voted in favor of HB 264. Representative Sullivan-Leonard voted against it. Therefore, HB 264 was reported out of the House Labor and Commerce Standing Committee by a vote of 5-1.