It’s nearly deadline day at the Capitol as the Legislature approaches the final day to pass new bills on September 13.
While CGA has had a number of legislative victories already in 2019, improvements to the state’s recycling system and policy on single-use plastics remains one of the still outstanding issues on the Association’s radar.
Currently SB 54 by Senator Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica) and AB 1080 by Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego) are close to arriving on Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk. A new article by Los Angeles Times explores the impact these two bills would have and features CGA President and CEO Ron Fong.
In a key shift, the California Grocers Assn. came out in support of AB 1080 and SB 54 Wednesday.
Speaking to the Southern California newspaper, Fong delivered the following explanation for why California’s grocery community supports the legislative compromise represented in the assembly and senate bills.
Members were concerned about obtaining the types of food-safe plastic that would meet the bill’s proposed standards and the potential lack of infrastructure to recycle these plastics. After lengthy negotiations, lawmakers and association representatives agreed on modifications that will allow some flexibility for food containers and help jump-start the needed recycling infrastructure.
Both bills now await votes before the close of the legislative year. If passed, they will go to the governor, who would have until Oct. 13 to take action on them.