Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger called on lawmakers today to reconsider a defeated bill to ban plastic bags.
The bill to ban plastic grocery bags faced fierce opposition from the Virginia-based interest group American Chemistry Council and died in the Senate this year. Schwarzenegger said the measure might fare better in the current, post-election political climate.
"Of course we fell short a few votes, but we said, 'We'll be back,' and we are back again," Schwarzenegger said at a Capitol press conference. "And if we don't get it done in December, we'll get it done next year."
Focus on the Legislature next week will largely be on its handling of an estimated $25.4 billion budget deficit.
Asked if he expects lawmakers to act on the budget in the special session or to wait for Gov.-elect Jerry Brown to take office in January, Schwarzenegger said, "I'm going to answer that question later, because I want to make sure that we stay on message and only talk about plastic bags."
The American Chemistry Council's Tim Shestek was in the crowd for the occasion. While supporters of the ban cheered their prospects for a second round, he said, "This is a bill that's dead."
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