Nevada’s economic news today continues to be grim…and getting grimmer. Tourism is down, gaming revenue is down, tax revenue is down. And what is our Legislature doing about it today?
Well, at 1:30 pm this afternoon the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee will hear testimony on SB 397.
And what, pray tell, will SB 397 do to address and fix our economic crisis?
Well, SB 397 would establish the Plastic Bag Environmental Cleanup Fund by charging a 10-cent fee per bag to anyone who chooses plastic over paper at the grocery store beginning next October. The fee would remain in place through June of 2001.
Then, beginning on July 1, 2011, plastic bags will be banned in Nevada and grocery stores would be fined for violating the ban. The fines range from $250 – $1,000 per day.
And who would be in charge of enforcing the ban and issuing citations for violations? Why, your local health district – which, by the way, we’re told already doesn’t have enough employees to even inspect endoscopy centers to make sure doctors aren’t reusing needles. But we’re going to hire new plastic bag inspectors??
Remember this rank stupidity the next time you hear a legislator call for annual sessions claiming there isn’t enough time to do the government’s business in 120 days every other year.