CT SB00058

Requires retailers to charge customers five cents per disposable plastic or paper bag starting January 1, 2012, with exemptions for food stamp and SNAP beneficiaries.

Defines "disposable bag" to exclude reusable bags (cloth or durable plastic at least 2.25 mils thick), produce/bakery/meat bags, dry cleaning bags, pharmacy bags, and newspaper delivery bags.

Directs retailers to collect the five-cent fee and transfer quarterly proceeds to the Commissioner of Revenue Services, with penalties of 10% or $50 (whichever is greater) for late payment plus 1.5% monthly interest.

Establishes a "recycling initiatives account" funded by bag fee revenues to support grant programs administered by the Department of Environmental Protection.

Creates two grant programs: a municipal recycling matching grant program (up to $200,000 per municipality, capped at $4.6 million annually) and a municipal recycling receptacle grant program (up to $5,000 per municipality, capped at $250,000 annually).

Prohibits municipalities from adopting bag restriction ordinances after October 1, 2011, but preserves ordinances adopted before that date.