SF Lawmaker's Bill to Ban Paper Receipts Fails in State Legislature

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SACRAMENTO (AP) -- Those body-length receipts from retail stores are here to stay.

The California Legislature had been considering banning paper receipts unless requested by a customer. But a legislative committee voted Friday not to send the legislation to the Senate floor for a vote.

The move means the bill is unlikely to pass this year.

Standing next to a staffer dressed as a large receipt, Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) introduces AB161, a measure eliminating paper receipts, January 8, 2019. (CBS)

Democratic Assemblyman Phil Ting had criticized the receipts for harming the environment. An aide dressed as a giant receipt stood beside Ting as he announced the bill at a news conference earlier this year, emphasizing the often absurd lengths of modern receipts.

Senate Appropriations Committee chairman Anthony Portantino said the bill did not get out of committee because it had some problems. He said paper receipts have other uses, such as offering coupons to consumers.