Photo by sjshoreman

This post has been updated

Despite a unanimous vote in support of a five-cent bag fee in the Prince George’s County Council this week, a Maryland State House committee voted the proposal down yesterday. The Post reports that the widespread support shown on the council did not extend to the Prince George’s County delegation to the State House, causing the measure to fail:

The bill needed broader support from the Prince George’s House delegation county affairs committee to win approval but fell short on a 3-2 vote. Prince George’s Dels. Carolyn Howard and James Proctor, both Democrats, voted no. Voting for the measure besides Frush were Dels. Jolene Ivey and Justin Ross. Del. Veronica Turner (D) was absent. The measure can come before the panel two more times, and the full delegation could take it up even without the panel’s endorsement.

What provoked the opposition? Lobbying from plastic bag manufacturers and concerns that the fee would hurt low-income residents.

Both the District and Montgomery County have imposed five-cent bag fees, and Maryland is considering a statewide measure doing the same. But without Prince George’s County onboard, it’s unclear whether or not it will pass.

UPDATE, 11:30 a.m.: Not all hope is lost, though! People with knowledge of the issue note that another vote is coming, and the House committee could eventually vote for the bag fee. “Saying the bill is dead is simply not true. That 3-2 vote was in favor –we just needed 4 votes to get the stamp of approval from County Affairs. It still can move forward without that approval, and it gets another chance to get the approval next week. Perpetuating the idea that the bill is dead is really hurting our effort,” wrote Julie Lawson of the Anacostia Watershed Society in an email.