Tennessee bill to stop local plastic bag bans heads to gov

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee lawmakers have passed a bill to ban local governments from regulating certain plastic bags and utensils.

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The Senate passed the legislation Thursday. The House already approved it, so it next heads to Republican Gov. Bill Lee.

The Republican-led General Assembly is reacting to recent consideration by Memphis and Nashville, the liberal-leaning, most populous cities in the state, of proposals to levy taxes against single-use plastic bags in order to cut down on waste.

Democratic Sen. Raumesh Akbari criticized the GOP majority for trying to override the decision-making of local governments.

Eleven other states — including Idaho, Florida, and Wisconsin — have already enacted similar so-called “bans on bans.”