Allows customers to directly take single-use plastic straws from food service establishments.

Plain-English Summary

This bill would change how single-use plastic straws are made available at restaurants, cafes, and other food service businesses in Rhode Island. Currently, state law requires these businesses to follow certain restrictions on distributing plastic straws — generally meaning customers must ask for one rather than grabbing one on their own. This bill would allow customers to simply take a plastic straw themselves, without needing to request it from an employee.

The bill would primarily affect restaurants, fast food establishments, coffee shops, and similar businesses, as well as their customers. Under the proposed change, food service establishments could once again place straws in publicly accessible locations — like a dispenser on a counter — rather than keeping them behind the counter or distributing them only upon request. This would make the process more similar to how straws were commonly handled before Rhode Island's plastic straw restrictions were put in place.

As of now, the bill has been referred to the Senate Commerce Committee and was recommended to be "held for further study," meaning lawmakers are not yet moving it forward for a full vote. No final action has been taken, and the bill remains in the early stages of the legislative process.