The Senate Environment & Energy Committee advanced SB 5965 on Monday, adopting a substitute version that would fully ban plastic carryout bags in Washington. As introduced, the bill proposed both a full plastic ban and an increase in the paper bag pass-through charge from $0.08 to $0.20. However, the committee-approved version keeps the paper carryout bag charge at $0.08.
The committee considered several amendments. The adopted substitute (PSSB 5965, Sen. Shewmake) maintains the current paper bag fee and adds a key clarification for food service: carryout bags provided by restaurants for off-site consumption would be exempt from the pass-through charge. The committee also adopted an amendment from Sen. Boehnke allowing compostable film bags to be made from products including, but not limited to, potato starch.
Two other Boehnke amendments failed. One would have removed the prohibition on reusable carryout bags made of film plastic, retained a $0.12 fee (increasing by $0.02 every two years), reinstated penalties for noncompliant bags, and phased in recycled-content requirements for polypropylene film bags beginning in 2028. Another would have renewed Department of Commerce reporting on the law’s effectiveness.
The committee passed SB 5965 on party lines, with Democrats supporting and Republicans opposing. Because eliminating the $0.12 plastic bag fee could reduce sales tax collections, the bill is expected to carry a negative fiscal note and move next to Senate Ways & Means.
On the House side, the chair of the House Environment & Energy Committee has indicated the companion measure, HB 2233, will not be advanced, making SB 5965 the primary vehicle this session.
