Louisville cannot mandate straws-on-request or ban plastic straws under KRS §65.067 preemption. Restaurants may voluntarily switch to paper or compostable alternatives but face no Metro requirement.
Plastic drinking straws fall within Kentucky's auxiliary-container preemption in KRS §65.067, blocking Louisville Metro from enacting a straws-on-request rule, a plastic-straw ban, or a per-straw fee. Restaurants and bars may voluntarily adopt paper, PLA bioplastic, or reusable alternatives, and many Louisville establishments have. The Americans with Disabilities Act independently requires straw access for patrons with disabilities, an issue some jurisdictions miss in straw policies. Metro's role is limited to encouraging voluntary action, supporting recycling education, and litter cleanup along the Ohio River corridor under Chapter 51.
There are no Metro penalties for offering or not offering plastic straws. Standard litter and dumping rules under Louisville Metro Code Chapter 51 still apply to careless disposal.
Louisville, KY
Kentucky's KRS §65.067 partially preempts local plastic bag bans, prohibiting cities from banning auxiliary containers based on material. Louisville Metro ca...
Louisville, KY
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See how Louisville's plastic straw rules rules stack up against other locations.
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