UPDATE: The Baltimore County Council has overridden County Executive Olszewski’s veto.

Original story below…

TOWSON, MD—Exactly one week until Baltimore County’s Bring Your Own Bag law is set to take effect, Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski on Wednesday vetoed the following pieces of legislation:

• Baltimore County Council Bill 71-23 – Reusable Carryout Bag Definition.
• Baltimore County Council Bill 73-23 – Bring Your Own Bag Act – Liquor Store Exemption.

These are the second set of vetoes issued by Olszewski since taking office in 2018.

Olszewski issued the following statement:

“In February, the Baltimore County Council took a bipartisan vote to pass a thoughtful bill to reduce plastic bag waste in our County. Since then, County Government and the business community have prepared for the law’s implementation. Now is not the time to undo that progress.

These two bills will unnecessarily allow more plastic bags to end up in our landfill and in our environment – counter to the goal we set together when we passed the bipartisan Bring Your Own Bag Act.

Bill 71-23 in particular represents the biggest step backwards in our sustainability efforts. By amending the definition of a reusable bag to include thinner plastic film bags, and removing the stitched handle requirement, this bill opens the door for all retailers – not just already exempted small retailers – to distribute thicker plastic bags that aren’t truly reusable.”

With just weeks until the Bring Your Own Bag Act was set to take effect, the Baltimore County Council introduced three bills proposing changes to the law.

In accordance with the Charter of Baltimore County, County Council Bill 72-23 – Bring Your Own Bag Act – Paper Carryout Bag Definition, will be enacted without the County Executive’s signature.