(BROOKINGS RADIO/DAKOTA RADIO GROUP)- A bill to prevent South Dakota cities from banning “auxiliary containers” such as plastic bags, straws and bottles is headed to the Senate floor.
The Senate Commerce and Energy Committee approved SB54 on a 4-2 vote yesterday (Tues.).
District 24 Senator Jeff Monroe from Pierre is a member of the committee, a sponsor of the legislation and voted for the bill. He says he doesn’t agree that “plastic is less environmentally friendly than paper.”
Monroe views some plastic in bodies of water as habitat.
He says he uses plastic in the ground in his garden to make things grow better.
The bill’s main sponsor, Senator John Wiik of Big Stone City, says prohibiting cities from banning plastic bags and straws is needed because South Dakota is basically one large, spread-out small town.
Dana Loesky is a volunteer lobbyist with the Friends of the Big Sioux River. He says plastic bags and other plastic waste are becoming a big problem in South Dakota.
Loesky says education is better than a ban, but this bill takes away local control.
District 24 Representative Tim Rounds of Pierre is also signed on as a sponsor of SB54.
Find more information about Senate Bil 54 on the Legislative Research Council’s website.
