NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee plans to sign a bill that would ban local governments from regulating certain plastic bags and utensils.
Lee spokeswoman Laine Arnold said Friday that the Republican governor plans to sign the bill in the next 10 days. She said Lee was deferring to the Legislature’s will on the bill.
The Republican-led General Assembly passed the legislation in reaction 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 reduce waste.
Bill opponents criticized the GOP majority for overriding the decision-making of local governments. Proponents said the state already pre-empts local governments on various topics.
Eleven other states have already enacted similar so-called “bans on bans.”