Bill Text: NY S00706 | 2025-2026 | General Assembly | Introduced

---

Bill Title: Updates the definition of the term "reusable bag", as used in the environmental conservation law, to specify minimum material and durability standards.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2025-01-08 - REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION [S00706 Detail]

Download: New_York-2025-S00706-Introduced.html

---

                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                           706

                               2025-2026 Regular Sessions

                    IN SENATE

                                       (Prefiled)

                                     January 8, 2025
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  Sens.  MAY,  HINCHEY,  SKOUFIS -- read twice and ordered
          printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Environ-
          mental Conservation

        AN ACT to amend the  environmental  conservation  law,  in  relation  to
          updating the definition of the term "reusable bag"

          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. Subdivision 5  of  section  27-2701  of  the  environmental
     2  conservation  law,  as  added  by  chapter  641  of the laws of 2008, is
     3  amended to read as follows:
     4    5. "Reusable bag" means[:
     5    (a) a bag made of cloth or other  machine  washable  fabric  that  has
     6  handles; or
     7    (b)  a  durable  plastic  bag with handles that is specifically] a bag
     8  that is designed and manufactured for multiple reuse, and that:
     9    (a) is made of:
    10    (i) cloth or other machine washable fabric;
    11    (ii) non-film washable material; or
    12    (iii) hand washable or machine washable  cloth  or  fabric,  including
    13  woven  or  nonwoven polypropylene, polyethylene-terephthalate, polyethy-
    14  lene made of at least eighty  percent  recycled  material  and  that  is
    15  recyclable,  polyester, or nylon fabric, or a fabric blend that includes
    16  any such material;
    17    (b) has at least one strap or handle that  does  not  stretch  and  is
    18  fastened  to  such bag in such a manner that allows such bag to meet the
    19  strength and durability standards under paragraph (c) of  this  subdivi-
    20  sion;
    21    (c) has a minimum lifespan of one hundred twenty-five uses, with a use
    22  equal  to  the  ability  to  carry a minimum of twenty-two pounds over a
    23  distance of at least one hundred seventy-five feet; and

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD02715-01-5
        S. 706                              2

     1    (d) has a minimum fabric weight of eighty grams per  square  meter  or
     2  equivalent  for bags made of any non-film plastic of natural, synthetic,
     3  petroleum-based or non-petroleum-based origin, including woven  or  non-
     4  woven   polypropylene,   polyethylene-terephthalate,  cotton,  jute,  or
     5  canvas.
     6    §  2.  This  act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall
     7  have become a law.