Minnesota Statewide Bag Ban Preemption
To prevent the statewide preemption of local ordinances on single-use bags.
The Minnesota Legislature saw fit to introduce and amend multiple bills that incorporated language to prevent local jurisdictions from enacting ordinances to prohibit distribution of single-use plastic bags at retail establishments. Although most of the bills were defeated, one bill (Senate File 1456) was passed and signed into law. This bill was a larger Jobs and Energy Omnibus bill that addressed a number of issues, along with the unrelated provisions that guarantee merchants the right to distribute bags and strip local government of its ability to ban paper, plastic, or reusable bags.