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SB551 • 2025

Prohibits restaurants and retailers from providing single-use checkout bags to consumers.

Prohibits restaurants and retailers from providing single-use checkout bags to consumers.

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Senator Sollman,, Representative Neron,, Andersen, Senator Manning Jr,, Patterson,, Pham,, Reynolds,, Representative Chaichi,, Fragala,, Gamba,, Gomberg,, Hudson,, Javadi,, Lively,, Marsh,, Nosse,
Last action
2025-06-11
Official status
Chapter Number Assigned
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Prohibits restaurants and retailers from providing single-use checkout bags to consumers.

<b>Digest: This Act changes restrictions on checkout bags.

What This Bill Does

  • <b>Digest: This Act changes restrictions on checkout bags.
  • (Flesch Readability Score: 66.7).</b> [<i>Digest: This Act changes restrictions on checkout bags and restricts some plastic products.
  • (Flesch Readability Score: 60.7).</i>] Prohibits restaurants and retailers from providing single-use checkout bags to consumers.
  • [<i>Prohibits food and beverage providers and convenience stores from providing single-use plastic utensils or single-use plastic condiment packaging to consumers unless requested.</i>] [<i>Prohibits lodging establishments from providing small plastic personal health or beauty product containers unless requested.</i>].

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2025-06-11 Senate

    Chapter 276, 2025 Laws.

  2. 2025-06-11 Senate

    Effective date, January 1, 2026.

  3. 2025-06-05 Senate

    Governor signed.

  4. 2025-05-29 House

    Speaker signed.

  5. 2025-05-28 Senate

    President signed.

  6. 2025-05-27 Senate

    Senate concurred in House amendments and repassed bill. Ayes, 22; Nays, 8--Bonham, Girod, Hayden, Linthicum, Robinson, Starr, Thatcher, Weber.

  7. 2025-05-21 House

    Third reading. Carried by Andersen. Passed. Ayes, 33; Nays, 19--Boice, Boshart Davis, Breese-Iverson, Diehl, Drazan, Elmer, Harbick, Helfrich, Levy B, Lewis, Mannix, McIntire, Osborne, Owens, Scharf, Skarlatos, Smith G, Wright, Yunker; Excused, 5--Cate, Dobson, Hartman, Nguyen H, Wallan; Excused for Business of the House, 2--Javadi, Reschke.

  8. 2025-05-20 House

    Rules suspended. Carried over to May 21, 2025 Calendar.

  9. 2025-05-19 House

    Recommendation: Do pass with amendments and be printed B-Engrossed.

  10. 2025-05-15 House

    Work Session held.

  11. 2025-05-06 House

    Motion to rerefer to Climate, Energy, and Environment carried. Rereferred.

  12. 2025-05-05 House

    Recommendation: Do pass.

  13. 2025-05-05 House

    Second reading.

  14. 2025-04-29 House

    Work Session held.

  15. 2025-04-17 House

    Public Hearing held.

  16. 2025-03-14 House

    Referred to Climate, Energy, and Environment.

  17. 2025-03-13 House

    First reading. Referred to Speaker's desk.

  18. 2025-03-11 Senate

    Third reading. Carried by Sollman. Passed. Ayes, 22; Nays, 8--Bonham, Girod, Hayden, Linthicum, McLane, Robinson, Starr, Thatcher.

  19. 2025-03-11 Senate

    Vote explanation(s) filed by Smith DB.

  20. 2025-03-10 Senate

    Second reading.

  21. 2025-03-07 Senate

    Recommendation: Do pass with amendments. (Printed A-Eng.)

  22. 2025-03-03 Senate

    Work Session held.

  23. 2025-02-12 Senate

    Public Hearing held.

  24. 2025-01-17 Senate

    Referred to Energy and Environment.

  25. 2025-01-13 Senate

    Introduction and first reading. Referred to President's desk.

Official Summary Text

<b>Digest: This Act changes restrictions on checkout bags. (Flesch Readability Score: 66.7).</b>
[<i>Digest: This Act changes restrictions on checkout bags and restricts some plastic products. (Flesch Readability Score: 60.7).</i>]
Prohibits restaurants and retailers from providing single-use checkout bags to consumers.
[<i>Prohibits food and beverage providers and convenience stores from providing single-use plastic utensils or single-use plastic condiment packaging to consumers unless requested.</i>]
[<i>Prohibits lodging establishments from providing small plastic personal health or beauty product containers unless requested.</i>].
Relating to: Relating to plastic waste.
Current location: Chapter Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2025 Regular Session
Enrolled
Senate Bill 551
Sponsored by Senator SOLLMAN, Representatives NERON, ANDERSEN; Senators MANNING JR,
PATTERSON, PHAM K, REYNOLDS, Representatives CHAICHI, FRAGALA, GAMBA,
GOMBERG, HUDSON, JAVADI, LIVELY, MARSH, NOSSE (Presession filed.)
CHAPTER .................................................
AN ACT
Relating to plastic waste; creating new provisions; and amending ORS 459A.755, 459A.757 and
459A.759.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1. ORS 459A.755 is amended to read:
459A.755. As used in this section and ORS 459A.757 and 459A.759:
(1) “Garment bag” means a large bag that incorporates a hanger on which garments may be
hung to prevent wrinkling during travel or storage.
(2) “Local provision” means a charter provision, ordinance, resolution or other provision
adopted by a city, county or other local government, as defined in ORS 174.116.
(3) “Nonwood renewable fiber” means plant-based fiber other than fiber derived from a tree.
(4) “Recycled paper checkout bag” means a paper bag that contains:
(a) At least 40 percent post-consumer recycled fiber;
(b) At least 40 percent nonwood renewable fiber; or
(c) A combination of post-consumer recycled fiber and nonwood renewable fiber that totals at
least 40 percent.
(5) “Restaurant” means an establishment where the primary business is the preparation of food
or drink:
(a) For consumption by the public;
(b) In a form or quantity that is consumable then and there, whether or not it is consumed
within the confines of the place where prepared; or
(c) In consumable form for consumption outside the place where prepared.
(6) “Retail establishment” means a store that sells or offers for sale goods at retail and that is
not a restaurant.
[(7) “Reusable fabric checkout bag” means a bag with handles that is specifically designed and
manufactured for multiple reuse and is made of cloth or other machine-washable fabric. ]
[(8) “Reusable plastic checkout bag” means a bag with handles that is specifically designed and
manufactured for multiple reuse and is made of durable plastic that is at least four mils thick. ]
[(9)(a)] (7)(a) “Single-use checkout bag” means a bag made of paper, plastic or any other mate-
rial that is provided by a retail establishment or restaurant to a customer at the time of checkout,
and that is not a recycled paper checkout bag[ , a reusable fabric checkout bag or a reusable plastic
checkout bag ].
(b) “Single-use checkout bag” does not mean:
Enrolled Senate Bill 551 (SB 551-B) Page 1
(A) A bag that is provided by a retail establishment to a customer at a time other than the time
of checkout, including but not limited to bags provided to:
(i) Package bulk items such as fruit, vegetables, nuts, grains, greeting cards or small hardware
items, including nails, bolts or screws;
(ii) Contain or wrap frozen food, meat, fish, flowers, a potted plant or another item for the pur-
pose of addressing dampness or sanitation;
(iii) Contain unwrapped prepared food or a bakery good; or
(iv) Contain a prescription drug;
(B) A newspaper bag, door hanger bag, garment bag, laundry bag or dry cleaning bag; or
(C) A bag sold in a package containing multiple bags for uses such as food storage, garbage
containment or pet waste collection.
SECTION 2.
ORS 459A.757 is amended to read:
459A.757. (1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, a retail establishment may not
provide:
(a) Single-use checkout bags to customers.
(b) Recycled papercheckout bags[, reusable fabric checkout bags or reusable plastic checkout
bags] to customers unless the retail establishment charges not less than five cents for each recycled
paper checkout bag[ , reusable fabric checkout bag or reusable plastic checkout bag ].
(2) A retail establishment may provide[ :]
[(a) Reusable fabric checkout bags at no cost to customers as a promotion on 12 or fewer days in
a calendar year. ]
[(b)] recycled paper checkout bags [ or reusable plastic checkout bags ] at no cost to customers
who:
[(A)] (a) Use a voucher issued under the Women, Infants and Children Program established un-
der ORS 413.500.
[(B)] (b) Use an electronic benefits transfer card issued by the Department of Human Services.
[(3) Except as provided in subsection (4) of this section, a restaurant may not provide: ]
[(a) single-use checkout bags to customers. ]
[(b) Reusable plastic checkout bags to customers unless the restaurant charges not less than five
cents for each reusable plastic checkout bag. ]
(3) A restaurant may not provide single-use checkout bags to customers.
(4) A restaurant may provide[:]
[(a)] recycled paper checkout bags at no cost to customers.
[(b) Reusable plastic checkout bags at no cost to customers who use an electronic benefits transfer
card issued by the Department of Human Services. ]
SECTION 3.
ORS 459A.759 is amended to read:
459A.759. To prohibit or limit the use of recycled paper checkout bags[ , reusable fabric checkout
bags, reusable plastic checkout bags ] or single-use checkout bags by a restaurant or retail establish-
ment, a city, county or other local government, as defined in ORS 174.116:
(1) May adopt a local provision that establishes definitions, requirements and restrictions that
are identical to the definitions, requirements and restrictions established by ORS 459A.755 and
459A.757.
(2) May amend a local provision [ that was in effect before January 1, 2020, ] so the local provision
establishes definitions, requirements and restrictions that are identical to the definitions, require-
ments and restrictions established by ORS 459A.755 and 459A.757.
(3) May adopt, amend or enforce a local provision to impose a penalty other than the penalty
established by ORS 459.993. A restaurant or retail establishment may be charged with a violation
under either the local provision or ORS 459.993, but not both.
(4) May not adopt or enforce a local provision that establishes definitions, requirements or re-
strictions that are not identical to the definitions, requirements and restrictions established by ORS
459A.755 and 459A.757.
Enrolled Senate Bill 551 (SB 551-B) Page 2
(5) Notwithstanding subsection (4) of this section, may adopt, amend or enforce a local provision
to require a restaurant or retail establishment to charge a fee of more than five cents under pro-
visions otherwise identical to ORS 459A.757 (1)(b) [ and (3)(b)].
SECTION 4. The amendments to ORS 459A.755, 459A.757 and 459A.759 by sections 1 to 3
of this 2025 Act become operative on January 1, 2027.
Passed by Senate March 11, 2025
Repassed by Senate May 27, 2025
..................................................................................
Obadiah Rutledge, Secretary of Senate
..................................................................................
Rob Wagner, President of Senate
Passed by House May 21, 2025
..................................................................................
Julie Fahey, Speaker of House
Received by Governor:
........................M.,........................................................., 2025
Approved:
........................M.,........................................................., 2025
..................................................................................
Tina Kotek, Governor
Filed in Office of Secretary of State:
........................M.,........................................................., 2025
..................................................................................
Tobias Read, Secretary of State
Enrolled Senate Bill 551 (SB 551-B) Page 3