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August 20, 2010 California Hispanic Chamber Applauds Senate Appropriations Committee for “Sacking” Bag Bill Assembly Bill 1998 (Brownley) Will Hurt Small Businesses, Hit Consumers with Higher Grocery Costs & Threaten to Put More People Out of Work. Sacramento. CA -- The California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce (CHCC) was pleased to hear that on August 12 the Senate Appropriations Committee delayed action on AB 1998, legislation by Assembly member Julia Brownley (D-Santa Monica) that would ban certain stores from handing out plastic bags and require those same stores to charge consumers at least a nickel for paper bags. The Appropriations Committee did not vote on AB 1998 but instead referred the bill to the Senate Rules Committee. Senate rules impose an August 13 deadline for the Appropriations Committee to meet and report bills to the Senate Floor. In order to revive AB 1998, the Senate would need to take the extraordinary action of ignoring its own rules, thereby sacrificing public input and transparency, as well as dismiss the nearly $2 million in new state costs to implement this bill previously identified by the Appropriations Committee. An effort to ignore the August 13 deadline would require a two-thirds vote of the entire Senate. Julian Canete, chief executive officer of the CHCC said: “We have been opposing AB 1998 because the bill hurts small businesses, hits consumers with higher grocery costs, and threatens to put more people out of work. We applaud those legislators that recognize AB 1998 is a bill California cannot afford. CHCC looks forward to working with the Legislature and all stakeholders on a solution this fall to this issue that protects both the environment and struggling families and small businesses.” # # # # # # # |
Advocacy, Empowerment & Education for California’s Hispanic Businesses
