Bill that would allow Prince George's County, Maryland, to impose 5-cent fee on disposable paper, plastic shopping bags turned down in General Assembly
Graziela Medina Shepnick
UPPER MARLBORO, Maryland
,
March 26, 2012
(Associated Press)
–
An attempt to allow Prince George's County lawmakers to impose a 5-cent fee on disposable shopping bags has died in the General Assembly.
The bill fell one vote short of a majority in the House Environmental Matters Committee on Saturday. It had been supported by Prince George's County Executive Rushern Baker, the county Council and a majority of the county's delegates and senators.
The bill would have given the county the authority to charge shoppers 5 cents for each disposable plastic or paper bag. Opponents questioned the cost of the fee and whether the measure would do enough to help the environment.
Prince George's County requires permission from the General Assembly to implement new taxes.
In the Washington area, Montgomery County and the District of Columbia have 5-cent bag taxes.
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