The South Dakota State Senate is passing a ban on banning plastic bags and straws.
Republican State Senator John Wiik is prime sponsor of the bill. He says it’s similar to the state requiring that certain garbage bags can’t be banned for sanitary reasons.
Wiik says the ban on banning plastic bags extends to towns in reservations that fall within South Dakota boundaries.
“I don’t see how it would impact them more than anyone else,” Wiik says. “All of our towns, I believe, we’re all part of one big rectangular small town and we all should be treated equally.”
While no ordinance is in place in any communities in South Dakota, proponents of the bill say Brookings is looking into banning plastic bags.
The bill passed 22 to 12 in favor. It now heads to the House.