CITY of ALBUQUERQUE
TWENTY FIFTH COUNCIL
COUNCIL BILL NO. O-22-3 ENACTMENT NO. ______________________
SPONSORED BY: Brook Bassan
ORDINANCE
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Repealing Enactment No. O-2019-008 (Council Bill No. O-19-48) Which Enacted Article 17, Chapter 13, ROA 1994, "The Albuquerque Clean & Green Retail Ordinance" Which Limited The Use Of Plastic Single-Use Carryout Bags, Created A Clean & Green Business Program, And Provided For Administrative Enforcement Regulations (Bassan)
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REPEALING ENACTMENT NO. O-2019-008 (COUNCIL BILL NO. O-19-48) WHICH ENACTED ARTICLE 17, CHAPTER 13, ROA 1994, "THE ALBUQUERQUE CLEAN & GREEN RETAIL ORDINANCE" WHICH LIMITED THE USE OF PLASTIC SINGLE-USE CARRYOUT BAGS, CREATED A CLEAN & GREEN BUSINESS PROGRAM, AND PROVIDED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE ENFORCEMENT REGULATIONS.
WHEREAS, on April 15, 2019, the City Council adopted O-19-48, "Adding a New Article 17 to Chapter 13, ROA 1994, Limiting the Use of Plastic Single-Use Carryout Bags; Creating an 'Albuquerque Clean & Green Business' Program; Providing for Administrative Regulations to Carry Out the Provisions" (the "Plastic Bag Ordinance"); and
WHEREAS, enforcement of the Plastic Bag Ordinance was paused at the beginning of the pandemic to help protect frontline employees and customers from the spread of COVID-19, then reinstated in August 2021 with additional bag restrictions put in place at the end of 2021; and
WHEREAS, the bags allowed under the Plastic Bag Ordinance are significantly more expensive for both consumers and businesses compared to what was allowed previously; and
WHEREAS, local consumers, many of whom are already facing considerable financial struggles, are now faced with spending dollars to purchase shopping bags, in effect creating a regressive tax on our most vulnerable populations; and
WHEREAS, some businesses have opted to use "reusable" bags and paper bags as a substitute for single-use plastic bags, but these alternative bags place additiona...
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