Minnesota Statewide Bag Ban Preemption

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.