Straws Upon Request, New Hampshire?

UPDATE JUNE 16, 2020

Pursuant to COVID-19 interruptions and the continued public health crisis, the State Senate voted to vacate from committee and lay on the table most bills not directly relevant to pandemic response, including HB1472.

This means that we will need to start fresh (again!) in a future session by introducing a new straw mitigation bill. 

The good news is that we know that persistence pays off; in most instances of statewide plastics mitigation law, it took multiple session attempts before finally passing the law (think about the bag bans now in Maine, Washington, California and Hawaii). We are laying important groundwork now for future law in New Hampshire, and YOU can help!

Give a shout if you would like to learn more about current opportunities to keep momentum going: mgates@surfrider.org

SUMMARY of 2020 SESSION EVENTS

Good news! New Hampshire House Representative Judith Spang introduced another bill that would require that plastic straws only be given out when requested by customers.

HB1472 came to hearing in the House on Thursday, 1/23/20 at 10:15AM before the House Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee, Legislative Office Building, Room 302, 33 N State St, Concord, NH 03301. A work session on the bill was scheduled for 2/14/20 at 1pm.

Unfortunately a bad amendment was tacked onto this bill that will make it far less effective if it passes, as it would explicitly allow for self-service straw stations to be leveraged at food service establishments. 

The language would also require all restaurants to have plastic straws on hand to be given out on request, rather than allowing those who desire not to purchase single-use plastic straws to continue that environmental practice. 

The bill passed the NH House on March 11, 2020, and is heading to the Senate where it will be assigned to a committee and then scheduled for public hearing.

See how your NH House Representative voted here, and consider sending a thank you or email of concern!

Don't forget to fill out this online form to let Governor Sununu know that you want his support for this bill, which does not ban anything at all and simply requires people to ask for a plastic straw if they want one or grab one fro a self-service straw station.

YOU CAN HELP!

Write to your NH State House Representative asking for support on HB1472! Email for contact details and more information.

Thank you!

Stay tuned for hearing details or email to be added to a listserv for New Hampshire residents interested in reducing plastic pollution.

HISTORIC ACCOUNT

Representative Spang first introduced a bill to restrict the automatic dispensing of plastic straws in 2019.

HB558 came to public hearing in the House at 11AM on Wednesday, March 6, 2019. We had a great showing of support, followed by all the false factual statements one can imagine leveraged by the plastics lobby. 

POSITION: Support

SPONSORS: Judith Spang (D), David Luneau (D), Chris Balch (D), Mel Myler (D), David Watters (D), Martha Fuller Clark (D)

ORIGINATING COMMITTEE: House Commerce and Consumer Affairs

Executive Session: 03/08/2019 01:30 pm LOB 302-304
Subcommittee Work Session: 03/08/2019 09:00 am LOB 302-304

The Committee that heard public testimony deliberated the bill and then voted it favorably along party lines, with Democrats for and Republicans against, recommending this bill for passage to the full House. The bill then passed the House, and headed to the Senate for public hearing.

The public hearing before the Senate Commerce Committee was held on Tuesday, April 30, 2019 at 1:45pm, and their vote on May 9, 2019 was not to recommend the bill for passage.

YOU CAN HELP!

While HB558 is dead, you can still help us build the case for support for passage of single-use plastic mitigation laws by keeping the pressure on! 

Please call or email to your NH State Senator and the Governor letting them know you supported HB558, and efforts toward mitigating plastic pollution from single-use plastic straws. Let them know that you want them to support bills like this in the future, and are very disappointed HB558 failed to pass when it had such strong support from NH residents.

 Find contact information for your electeds here or email for more info: mgates@surfrider.org

Click to view the latest version of Surfrider Foundation's Straw Toolkit - excellent for talking points for your testimony!!