Current Events > CA proposes bill that would impose a $1,000 fine or jail for plastic straw use

(+) Yeah! (+)

More specifically, for restaurants that offer plastic straws without a specific customer request.

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB1884

Existing law, the California Retail Food Code, establishes uniform health and sanitation standards for, and provides for regulation by the State Department of Public Health of, retail food facilities, as defined, and requires local health agencies to enforce these provisions. Existing law requires, except as otherwise provided, a person who violates any provision of the code to be guilty of a misdemeanor with each offense punishable by a fine of not less than $25 or more than $1,000, or by imprisonment in the county jail for a term not exceeding 6 months, or by both.

This bill would prohibit a food facility, as specified, where food may be consumed on the premises from providing single-use plastic straws to consumers unless requested by the consumer. By creating a new crime and imposing additional enforcement duties on local health agencies, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

Justification from the liberal who proposed it:

https://a57.asmdc.org/press-releases/majority-leader-calderon-introduces-straws-upon-request-legislation

Majority Leader Ian Calderon (D-Whittier) introduced Assembly Bill 1884 this week, a measure that calls upon dine-in restaurants to have a straws-upon-request policy.

We need to create awareness around the issue of one-time use plastic straws and its detrimental effects on our landfills, waterways, and oceans, stated Majority Leader Calderon. AB 1884 is not ban on plastic straws. It is a small step towards curbing our reliance on these convenience products, which will hopefully contribute to a change in consumer attitudes and usage.

Plastic is a material that lasts forever, yet 33 percent of all plastics are used just once and thrown away. Only 9% of all plastics are recycled, but due to their small size and lack of a resin code, no straws are ever recycled. After their one-time use, non-biodegradable plastic straws often end up in our oceans and waterways where they break down into smaller, micro-size pieces that are discarded into our environment. They are oftentimes mistaken as food by marine life.

An estimated 500 million straws are used in the United States every day. This number is enough to fill over 127 school buses each day and is calculated to be about 1.6 straws per person in the U.S. In a summary of all trash collected as part of Californias Coastal Cleanup Day between 1989 and 2014, straws and stirrers rank as the 6th most common item collected. AB 1884 is a step toward lowering these alarming figures and is a simple way for consumers to change their plastic use behavior.

Now that you can intentionally transmit HIV without worrying about a felony charge, CA is finally back to tackling the important issues.
---

To be honest, I'm fine with this. Regulations that push us into better behavior are fine by me. I'd be fine with a bill that banned smoking entirely, for example.
---

Loliberalfornia

the crazy straw craze (...) needs to return.
---

"Put down the plastic straw or you're gonna get tazed!"
---

I wonder what the viability would be for a smuggling ring running straws across the Nevada border...

Damn liberals
---

XxKrazyChaosxX posted...

"Put down the plastic straw or you're gonna get tazed!"

"Stop resipping!"
---

Doesn't bother me. I never drink through a straw. It's annoying. Fine or jail seems ridiculous, but I would be for banning straws (except in cases with little kids who need special cups because they need a straw in order to not spill and make a fucking mess)
---

Whenever something stupid needs to be said I know I can always count on California to be that idiot.

Stay stupid as fuck Cali.


---

FLUFFYGERM posted...

To be honest, I'm fine with this. Regulations that push us into better behavior are fine by me. I'd be fine with a bill that banned smoking entirely, for example.

Holy crap, an excuse to use a different CS Lewis quote!

https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/19967-of-all-tyrannies-a-tyranny-sincerely-exercised-for-the-good

Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.

I cannot drink out of a cup when im at a restaurant.

You always hear about SJWs but I'm convinced there are people who just look up California news specifically to find stuff to be upset about, especially with things that don't affect them
---

California is the "Florida Man" of stupid laws.
---

Holy shock headline writing that completely muddies the water. Considering who the TC is this isn't a surprise however.
---

The_Juice_ posted...

You always hear about SJWs but I'm convinced there are people who just look up California news specifically to find stuff to be upset about, especially with things that don't affect them

Of course. I'm pretty sure that pretending to be outraged at stuff is like a prerequisite of being a conservative in America
---

What will McDonalds do tho
Very wonder
---

The "don't give customers water unless they request it during a drought" types of laws make sense in theory. Their hearts are in the right place. But in practice, they're totally awful. Same thing here. That said, I've always found it odd that straws are given out right away with nearly any drink even in restaurants that serve them in actual glasses that have no lids.
---

Sipeasy
---

Samurontai posted...

Of course. I'm pretty sure that pretending to be outraged at stuff is like a prerequisite of being a conservative in America

Are you actually trying to make the argument that pretend outrage is some sort of unique conservative trait? Really?
---

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wH878t78bw
---

gunplagirl posted...

That said, I've always found it odd that straws are given out right away with nearly any drink even in restaurants that serve them in actual glasses that have no lids.

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/thomas-p-connelly-dds/sharing-drinks-healthy_b_3241147.html

s0nicfan posted...

Samurontai posted...

Of course. I'm pretty sure that pretending to be outraged at stuff is like a prerequisite of being a conservative in America

Are you actually trying to make the argument that pretend outrage is some sort of unique conservative trait? Really?

Of course not, it's like the main thing they have in common with actual SJWs

Silly
---

would impose -> could impose
---

FLUFFYGERM posted...

To be honest, I'm fine with this. Regulations that push us into better behavior are fine by me. I'd be fine with a bill that banned smoking entirely, for example.

Same. Saw this video in argument and wouldn't be opposed to this now. Be aware this might make you squeamish.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wH878t78bw
---

First thing I thought of was that poor turtle. I'm okay with this tbh
---

The punishement might be excessive but I really don't care if the government wants to phase out dumb wasteful things like straws. They truly serve no purpose until you have a physical disability or something.
---

makes me think of diane nyugen (bojack horseman) getting angry over people being served water without asking

some moron saw that ep and thought "what a great idea!"
---

Samurontai posted...

s0nicfan posted...

Samurontai posted...

Of course. I'm pretty sure that pretending to be outraged at stuff is like a prerequisite of being a conservative in America

Are you actually trying to make the argument that pretend outrage is some sort of unique conservative trait? Really?

Of course not, it's like the main thing they have in common with actual SJWs

Silly

As if we couldn't find video after video of dem politicians grandstanding, too, about how upset they are over something republicans are doing. It's almost as if fake outrage has become a general cultural currency.
---

s0nicfan posted...

Samurontai posted...

s0nicfan posted...

Samurontai posted...

Of course. I'm pretty sure that pretending to be outraged at stuff is like a prerequisite of being a conservative in America

Are you actually trying to make the argument that pretend outrage is some sort of unique conservative trait? Really?

Of course not, it's like the main thing they have in common with actual SJWs

Silly

As if we couldn't find video after video of dem politicians grandstanding, too, about how upset they are over something republicans are doing. It's almost as if fake outrage has become a general cultural currency.

Well usually when republicans do something it actually negatively affects Americans on a large scale, so it's not really comparable

Nice deflection though!
---

Questionmarktarius posted...

FLUFFYGERM posted...

To be honest, I'm fine with this. Regulations that push us into better behavior are fine by me. I'd be fine with a bill that banned smoking entirely, for example.

Holy crap, an excuse to use a different CS Lewis quote!

https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/19967-of-all-tyrannies-a-tyranny-sincerely-exercised-for-the-good

Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.

That is a good quote!
---

Questionmarktarius posted...

gunplagirl posted...

That said, I've always found it odd that straws are given out right away with nearly any drink even in restaurants that serve them in actual glasses that have no lids.

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/thomas-p-connelly-dds/sharing-drinks-healthy_b_3241147.html

I fail to see the connection between her post and the article.
---

Questionmarktarius posted...

FLUFFYGERM posted...

To be honest, I'm fine with this. Regulations that push us into better behavior are fine by me. I'd be fine with a bill that banned smoking entirely, for example.

Holy crap, an excuse to use a different CS Lewis quote!

https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/19967-of-all-tyrannies-a-tyranny-sincerely-exercised-for-the-good

Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.

I'm a huge fan of CS Lewis, but come on. We have to have some nuance. Is it really tyranny if a governing body says "stop using lead paint" or "stop throwing plastic in the streets" or etc?
---

Sad_Face posted...

Questionmarktarius posted...

gunplagirl posted...

That said, I've always found it odd that straws are given out right away with nearly any drink even in restaurants that serve them in actual glasses that have no lids.

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/thomas-p-connelly-dds/sharing-drinks-healthy_b_3241147.html

I fail to see the connection between her post and the article.

Straws are more sanitary than slathering your lips on a cup that countless other people have slobbered on before you.
Or, you've been given a disposable cup, which itself is an environmental disaster in the making.

The end result, is just going to people in california keeping a handful of straws on his or her person, unless that starts being criminal - then maybe steel straws will catch on or something.
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/715FKss-LnL._SL1297_.jpg

...i should get some of those, actually.

Excessive

Questionmarktarius posted...

Straws are more sanitary than slathering your lips on a cup that countless other people have slobbered on before you.

The cups are washed before they're served again. Your article is talking about saliva transferring between you and whoever you're sharing the cup with and saliva is quite easily cleaned off with a dishwasher. I used to work in the kitchen so trust me, I would know. The methods restaurants use to serve you utensil wise is FDA approved so you don't need to worry about this.
---

Questionmarktarius posted...

Straws are more sanitary than slathering your lips on a cup that countless other people have slobbered on before you.

Uh no. Assuming the restaurant cleans their dishes properly. And if they didn't, well you're eating off unsanitary silverware anyway.
---

I love straws, why y'all hate them?!?
---

godjesus what an awful state
---

Requiring customers to opt in seems like a reasonable compromise here.
---

PiOverlord posted...

I love straws, why y'all hate them?!?

Because it's an ordeal to pull one out a turtle's nose, apparently.

Taxpayer dollars hard at work.
---

Questionmarktarius posted...

PiOverlord posted...

I love straws, why y'all hate them?!?

Because it's an ordeal to pull one out a turtle's nose, apparently.

Maybe the turtle should stop trying to do lines of sea crack
---

Antifar posted...

Requiring customers to opt in seems like a reasonable compromise here.

The unfortunate byproduct is that it slowly turns your restaurant experience into the checkout at gamestop.
"Welcome to X, would you like a water while you decide?"
"Would you like lemon with that water?"
"Would you like a straw as well?"
"Can I interest you in our water purity protection plan, only $1.99 per glass?"
---

s0nicfan posted...

"Can I interest you in our water purity protection plan, only $1.99 per glass?"

LOL
---

s0nicfan posted...

"Would you like lemon with that water?"

I hate when restaurants give lemon by default, tbh
---

s0nicfan posted...

The unfortunate byproduct is that it slowly turns your restaurant experience into the checkout at gamestop.
"Welcome to X, would you like a water while you decide?"
"Would you like lemon with that water?"
"Would you like a straw as well?"
"Can I interest you in our water purity protection plan, only $1.99 per glass?"

Restaurants where I live ask you if you want water, don't put lemons in unless you ask, and don't usually haves straws.
---

Questionmarktarius posted...

Straws are more sanitary than slathering your lips on a cup that countless other people have slobbered on before you.

I have never understood this. I have met so many people that, when we go to a restaurant, will actively avoid sipping on the rim of a cup because "other people have sipped on it"

Yet I'll bring up that they have no problem using forks and spoons that other people ate off of and to this day I have yet to actually get a good response as to why one bothers them more than the other.
---

Antifar posted...

s0nicfan posted...

"Would you like lemon with that water?"

I hate when restaurants give lemon by default, tbh

But on the plus side if you're worried about the cleanliness of the glass now that you're not given a straw, you can just slide that lemon around the rim and disinfect it before drinking. Kill 2 birds with 1 stone.
---

Antifar posted...

Requiring customers to opt in seems like a reasonable compromise here.

Already covered
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3369/818/1600/Whitney%20Point%200004.0.jpg