The Baltimore County Council on Monday unanimously overrode County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr.’s veto of amendments to the county’s single-use plastic bag ban, exempting liquor stores from the new law.

On Oct. 25, Olszewski vetoed two council amendments to the bipartisan ban on single-use plastic carryout bags, which the council had approved 5-2 and signed into law in February. Since the law went into effect Nov. 1, businesses subject to the ban have been required to charge customers 5 cents for a paper or reusable carryout bag.

By overturning Olszewski’s veto by a 7-0 vote, the council added liquor stores back to the short list of small businesses — convenience stores and other shops with three or fewer locations — that may continue providing goods in thinner, single-use plastic bags at checkout.

Council chair Julian Jones, who proposed the liquor store exemption in mid-October, which passed unanimously then, too, said Monday that the amendment “is an attempt to correct an injustice” by which liquor store owners, who are limited in the number of county locations they may operate, were treated differently than other small local businesses despite meeting the same conditions.

“They [liquor store owners] don’t want to nickel-and-dime their customers, and they felt like they were being singled out,” Jones said during the council meeting.

The story continues at The Baltimore Banner: Baltimore County Council overrides Olszewski’s veto, exempts liquor stores from plastic bag ban

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