1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to local government; prohibiting local governments from banning or taxing 
1.3 	paper or plastic bags;proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 
1.4 	471.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. [471.9998] MERCHANT BAGS.
1.7 		Subdivision 1.Merchant option. All merchants, itinerant vendors, and peddlers doing 
1.8 	business in this state shall have the option to provide customers a paper, plastic, or reusable 
1.9 	bag for the packaging of any item or good purchased, provided such purchase is of a size 
1.10 	and manner commensurate with the use of paper, plastic, or reusable bags.
1.11 		Subd. 2.Prohibition; bag ban or tax. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no 
1.12 	political subdivision shall impose any ban, fee, or tax upon the use of paper, plastic, or 
1.13 	reusable bags for packaging of any item or good purchased from a merchant, itinerant 
1.14 	vendor, or peddler.

1.15 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective May 31, 2017. Ordinances existing on 
1.16 	the effective date of this section that would be prohibited under this section are invalid as 
1.17 	of the effective date of this section.