OLYMPIA, WA – Washington State House Republicans say lawmakers should address litter without raising costs on families already struggling with higher prices. One proposal heard this week would roll back a scheduled bag-rule change while preventing higher fees.

Representative Mary Dye, a Republican from Pomeroy, is pushing back against proposals that would raise grocery bag fees, arguing lawmakers should reduce litter without increasing costs on families.

Dye testified this week in support of House Bill 2284, saying the state is on track to require thicker plastic bags that don’t change behavior and only add waste.

“The studies show in real world experience that it doesn’t increase reuse, it simply adds more plastic to the waste stream,” said Dye.

She says her bill takes a different approach than a competing Democratic proposal by keeping current bag options in place and avoiding new fees as high as 20 cents per bag at the checkout counter.

“Unlike proposals such as House Bill 2233, this bill does not punish consumers with higher fees on paper bags,” Dye said.

Dye’s bill would also create a litter-solutions task force to focus on reducing waste on roads and public spaces using existing data, not higher fees.

The bill is now before the House Environment and Energy Committee.