Wait, what?? push to stop bag laws in NY!

Bag bill passed in NYC!   Now…
Here comes the plastic bag industry with their friends in NY State government to overthrow democracy…

You read that right. On the heels of the successful NYC plastic bag fee law, legislation has been introduced in both the NY Senate and Assembly to thwart attempts to stop plastic bag pollution.

simchapic

 Now, State Senator Simcha Felder’s bill “establishes a prohibition on the imposition of any tax, fee or local charge on carry out merchandise bags.”  If only they were prohibiting the tax on society and the environment that plastic bags cost, or the fees to deal with them that are placed on everyone, including future generations, after people discard them.  They’re not against everyone paying those taxes and fees.

This attempt to overthrow the right to local control is outrageous, even for New York State politics.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t see anything in any federal or state constitution that people are entitled to a free bag, nor the consequences of such a thing.  Lets help remind those that do not yet understand that it’s not ok to destroy the environment, even for 12 whole minutes convenience.
We need your help to stop this terrible legislation!

First, we need your help to raise awareness with your neighbors, friends, and everyone here, NOW, for the need for plastic bag laws. Get Involved-volunteer your time – join our volunteer team at this week’s team meeting at 6:30 pm on April 19 at Gentle Brew!
RSVP: https://www.facebook.com/events/237236193312543/

We need your help to speak to merchants, staff events, engage the public, get signatures on our petition, help people display their support with window clings and stickers, and bring everyone together to make this a success for everyone involved to push this campaign over the finish line.

Please donate to the cause here. We would love to have a reusable bag giveaway or fundraiser campaign to help get bags into the hands of all. If even a small portion of our petition signers chipped in even 5, 10, 20 dollars it would go far towards removing the barriers to legislation, number one of which is making sure no one is left out who cannot afford reusable bags.

Contact your Representative
Tell your Assembly and Senate members that stopping plastic bag ordinances is not supported.  If one of your representatives is on this list, we need you especially to call and write the Senators and Assembly Members who are signed on to this legislation.
Senators in favor so far:
Sponsor-Simcha Felder (D) 17th Senate District
Andrew J Lanza   (R) 24th Senate District
Martin J. Golden  (R, C, IP) 22nd Senate District
Tony Avella   (D, IP) 11th Senate District
Roxanne J. Persaud   (D) 19th Senate District
Diane J. Savino  (D, IP, WF) 23rd Senate District
James L. Seward  (R, C, IP) 51st Senate District

Assembly members in favor so far
Sponsor- Michael Cusick(staten island)
Mark Gjonaj
David Weprin
Steven Cymbrowitz
Michael G. Miller
Ron Castorina
Michael Simanowitz
Victor M. Pichardo
Peter Abbate
Dov Hikind
Michael DenDekker
Nicole Malliotakis
Phillip Goldfeder
Walter T. Mosley
Erik Dilan
Andrew Hevesi
Inez Barron
Matthew Titone
Marcos Crespo
William Colton
Michael J. Fitzpatrick

Here are the links to S7336 and A9904, the companion bill in the State Assembly:

S7336: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2015/s7336
A9904: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2015/a9904/amendment/original

Please circulate information about this latest attempt by the plastic bag industry to prevent limits on the use of plastic bags and ask your representatives in the State Senate and State Assembly to oppose S7336/A9904.

For a list of NYS Assembly members, see: http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem

For a list of NYS Senators, see: http://www.nysenate.gov/find-my-senator

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