A lower house member of the Democratic party proposed the fining of waiters who hand out plastic straws without first being asked.
Ian Calderon wants restaurateurs to think long and hard before giving you a straw.
Calderon, the Democratic majority leader in California’s lower house, has introduced a bill to stop sit-down restaurants from offering customers straws with their beverages unless they specifically request one. Under Calderon’s law, a waiter who serves a drink with an unrequested straw in it would face up to 6 months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.
“We need to create awareness around the issue of one-time use plastic straws and its detrimental effects on our landfills, waterways, and oceans,” Calderon explained in a press release.
Reason updated the article stating Ian has backtracked.
Update: Reason spoke with Voleck Taing, a senior assistant to Assemblyman Calderon, who said they intend to amend the bill to remove the fines.
Ian’s backtrack means almost nothing as it pertains to the agenda he represents. He backtracked due to backlash and not because he doesn’t believe in this. Left-wing environmentalists are continuing to push their agenda onto the everyday lives of Americans and are using the government to do it.
