Bexar County cannot ban plastic carryout bags. The Texas Supreme Court in City of Laredo v. Laredo Merchants Association struck down local bag bans as preempted by the Texas Health and Safety Code container provision.
Texas cities and counties have no authority to prohibit single-use plastic carryout bags. In 2018, the Texas Supreme Court ruled in City of Laredo v. Laredo Merchants Association that municipal bag ordinances are preempted by Texas Health and Safety Code Section 361.0961, which bars local rules assessing fees on or prohibiting containers used for solid waste management purposes. Bexar County therefore does not ban or fee plastic bags at retail. Voluntary store-level programs, reusable bag promotions, and recycling drop-offs continue. Some H-E-B and other Bexar County retailers offer in-store film recycling. Any future Bexar County bag rule would face the same preemption barrier absent a legislative change.
There are no county penalties for plastic bag use because local bans are preempted. Retailers face no county fee or surcharge requirement for distributing plastic carryout bags.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Live Oak, TX
Live Oak treats vehicles unmoved for 48 hours on public streets, or junked vehicles visible from a public place, as abandoned under Texas Transportation Code...
Live Oak, TX
Live Oak permits residential and commercial EV chargers as an accessory use with an electrical permit; installers must follow the National Electrical Code Ar...
Live Oak, TX
Live Oak allows overnight on-street parking on most residential streets subject to the 24-hour move rule; posted zones and city lots have their own overnight...
Live Oak, TX
Live Oak restricts certain fence materials including barbed wire, razor wire, and electric fencing in residential zones, with wood, vinyl, masonry, and ornam...
Live Oak, TX
Beekeeping in Live Oak is governed by Texas Agriculture Code Chapter 131 and local nuisance rules, with small-scale hives generally permitted on residential ...
Live Oak, TX
Live Oak restricts livestock including cattle, horses, goats, sheep, and swine to agricultural zoning districts, effectively prohibiting them from the city s...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Bexar County.
See how Live Oak's plastic bag rules rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.