Patricia Doxsey is reporting for the Daily Freeman the Ulster County Legislature’s Environment and Energy Committee May 3, adopted a resolution setting a public hearing on a new local law, to be known as the “Bring Your Own Bag Act.” The measure would ban the distribution of plastic bags by practically every retailer in the county beginning on April 22, 2019. The resolution will go to the full Legislature for consideration on May 15. If adopted, county residents will have the opportunity to voice their opinion on the proposed ban in June. Ulster lawmakers have been working on a plastic ban bag for more than a year. The local law as proposed would ban the use of all single-use plastic bags and require stores to charge 5-cents for recyclable paper bags provided to customers. Fines for violating the law would begin at $100 for the first violation after a written warning. Under the law, restaurants located outside of grocery stores, supermarkets, convenience stores or food marts would be exempt. Gov. Andrew Cuomo on April 30, proposed a statewide ban on the use of plastic bags that would also block local governments from adopting their own laws or impose fees for alternative bags. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.