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HB 5619

AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE IMPOSITION OF A FEE FOR SINGLE-USE PAPER CHECKOUT BAGS.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Jonathan Jacobson and 1 co-sponsor

Connecticut bill authorizes municipalities to charge fees on single-use paper checkout bags to reduce waste and generate local revenue.

REF. TO JOINT COMM. ON Planning and Development
#fees #municipalities #retailtrade #shoppingbags
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Bill Summary · HB 5619

Legislative bill overview

HB 5619 authorizes Connecticut municipalities to impose a fee on single-use paper checkout bags provided by retail establishments. The bill grants local governments the power to regulate and charge for these bags, similar to existing plastic bag fee programs in some states. Revenues from such fees would be retained by municipalities for their own purposes.

Why is this important

Single-use paper bags represent a significant environmental concern, contributing to landfill waste and requiring substantial natural resources to produce. This bill provides a market-based tool to reduce consumption of disposable bags while generating potential revenue for local governments. The measure reflects growing policy momentum toward reducing single-use materials, though its effectiveness depends on municipal adoption and enforcement.

Potential points of contention

  • Regressive impact: Bag fees disproportionately affect lower-income residents who have fewer resources to purchase reusable alternatives, though wealthier individuals can absorb costs more easily
  • Business concerns: Retailers may face administrative burden and potential customer friction from implementing fees, with unclear pass-through of costs
  • Environmental trade-offs: While reducing paper bags, the policy doesn't address whether consumers switch to reusable bags (resource-intensive to produce) or plastic alternatives, potentially shifting rather than solving the problem
  • Local control variation: Allowing municipal-level decision-making creates patchwork regulations that could confuse consumers and complicate retail operations across town boundaries

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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