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.
Universal City, TX
Outdoor live and recorded music in Universal City must comply with the general noise ordinance and stop by 10:00 PM unless a special event permit is granted.
Universal City, TX
Amplified music audible beyond a property line in Universal City can trigger a noise violation at any time, with stricter enforcement between 10:00 PM and 7:...
Universal City, TX
Universal City relies primarily on a plainly audible standard rather than specific dBA limits, though zoning performance standards for commercial and industr...
Universal City, TX
Universal City restricts parking of RVs, travel trailers, and boats in residential front yards and public streets, typically requiring storage in the side or...
Universal City, TX
Universal City generally allows on-street parking on public streets but prohibits parking on sidewalks, within 15 feet of fire hydrants, and in posted no-par...
Universal City, TX
Universal City generally allows overnight on-street parking for residential vehicles but prohibits leaving any vehicle in one spot for over 24 hours and bans...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Bexar County.
See how Universal City's plastic bag rules rules stack up against other locations.
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