Paper Bag Fee: Fate Of 10-Cent Charge Decided By Anne Arundel County Council

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD — A bill that would've eliminated the mandatory 10-cent fee for paper bags failed Monday night in Anne Arundel County. Customers will still have to pay for paper bags at checkout.

All four County Council Democrats voted against the legislation, dubbed Bill 92-24, while all three Republicans voted for it. The only yes votes came from the bill's three sponsors: Republicans Shannon Leadbetter (District 7), Nathan Volke (District 3) and Amanda Fiedler (District 5).

Most free plastic bag distribution at stores has been banned since the beginning of the year. Customers can instead opt to bring their own bag or purchase a paper bag. The fee was intended to offset the cost of paper bags for businesses and incentivize shoppers to bring their own bags.

The legislation that failed Monday would've maintained the ban on most single-use plastic bags, but it would've ended the required charge for paper bags.

Volke voted for the initial plastic bag reduction bill, but he thinks consumers have already adapted to bringing their own bags, making the fee less of a deterrent.

"There's a point where we're going to outlive the usefulness of this 10-cent fee," Volke said at the Monday meeting. "We are going to get to a place where behavior has been modified enough. If that's in a year, let's do this bill in a year."

Volke said his constituents are frustrated with the extra charge at checkout. He said in an email that the bill's "purpose was to provide relief for residents impacted by the fee."

Volke further argued that paper bag prices are rising above 10 cents, and he said businesses are already baking the extra cost into shelf prices. Volke would prefer to eliminate the fee and let retailers compete on cost with the price of bags included in their shelf prices.

"As the MD Retailers Alliance stated last night, the fee is not covered the costs of bags at present," Volke told Patch in a Tuesday email. "Therefore, other consumers (even those bringing their own bags) are already subsidizing the costs for those consumers who use paper bags. Many businesses used paper bags prior to the removal of access to plastic bags. They built those costs into their prices before."

Lisa D. B. Rodvien (D-District 6) was the sponsor of the initial Bring Your Own Bag Plastic Reduction Act. She argued that free markets cut costs at the cost of the environment, so she voted against eliminating the fee.

"What this bill really does is just ensures that no one is inconvenienced," Rodvien said. "We are at a point where we have to start taking responsibility and not simply just saying 'This is too hard. This is too inconvenient.'"

Democrats Peter Smith (District 1), Allison M. Pickard (District 2) and Julie Hummer (District 4) joined Rodvien on Monday in voting to keep the paper bag charge. Residents can find their council member at this link.

"It is clear from last nights public testimony and debate that there are strong opinions on both sides of this issue," Leadbetter told Patch in a Tuesday email. "While the bill was defeated I believe public debates like this are healthy and productive for our community to ensure all voices are given an opportunity to be heard. I look forward to continuing to fight for common sense solutions to the problems my constituents have highlighted."

The Anne Arundel County Council passed its plastic bag ban by a 6-1 vote in June 2023, and it took effect in January 2024.

The City of Annapolis, which sets its own laws, is preparing to institute its own bag bill.

The Annapolis City Council passed its plastic bag ban this July. The law is set to take effect on Jan. 22, 2025. In Annapolis, paper bags will also be available for a minimum fee of 10 cents.

Related:

• Paper Bag Fee: Should Customers Have To Pay 10 Cents? County Council Will Decide
• Plastic Bag Ban Passed By City Of Annapolis: Report
• Plastic Bags Banned In Anne Arundel County, Officials Decide