This makes California the first state to ban restaurants from automatically providing plastic straws. Some cities have already taken the step; Seattle also banned the use of plastic utensils.
The California law doesn't apply to fast food restaurants or convenience stores. Full-service restaurants can still hand out paper or metal straws unprompted by customers. Violators can face a 25 USD fine per day after two warnings. Assembly Bill 1884 was signed in efforts to reduce plastic pollution and will go into effect on January 1.
