SAN FRANCISCO—The Small Business Commission backed a plan brought forth by San Francisco Board of Supervisor Vallie Brown that would raise the charge for plastic bags at checkout terminals. 

The new legislation, which will take effect in July 2020, will increase the charge of plastic bags from the state required 10 cents to 25 cents in the city of San Francisco. It will also ban the use of pre-checkout plastic bags that customers would regularly use for fruits, vegetables, and other produce. It also requires them to be compostable and recyclable. 

Brown believes that the rise in the charge for plastic bags will decrease plastic bag usage and increase reusable bag usage. She notes that the charge for the plastic bags will not be applied to those who are on food stamps.

The Small Business Commission approved the new legislation with a unanimous vote. The Department of the Environment has yet to complete a new environmental study of the impact of the charge; similar to what they did in 2016 with the first upcharge on plastic bags.

The SF Board of Supervisors Land Use and Transportation Committee will be voting on it on Monday, July 8.