Bexar County does not require restaurants to switch from plastic straws or to provide them only on request. Texas container preemption discourages local straw mandates, leaving the choice to each business.
There is no Bexar County straw-on-request rule and no countywide ban on plastic straws. Texas Health and Safety Code Section 361.0961 and the 2018 Laredo Merchants ruling cast doubt on whether local governments could mandate alternative materials or fees on disposable foodservice items. Some Bexar County restaurants voluntarily switch to paper, compostable, or stainless straws, or provide straws only on request, for cost or sustainability reasons. Accessibility advocates have noted that bendable plastic straws remain important for people with certain disabilities, and any future local rule would need to address that. The Americans with Disabilities Act applies regardless of any local single-use-items rule.
There are no county penalties for providing or omitting plastic straws. Voluntary policies are enforced internally by individual restaurants and chains.
See how Live Oak's plastic straw rules rules stack up against other locations.
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