Senate narrowly passes 'ask first' single-use foodware bill after extensive debate on exemptions and enforcement

After one of the longest floor debates of the day, the Colorado Senate advanced Senate Bill 146, a measure that would generally prohibit retail food establishments and third-party delivery services from providing single-use food-service ware unless a customer requests it.

Sponsor Senator Cutter described SB146 as a straightforward waste-reduction bill — an "ask first" approach aimed at reducing discretionary single-use items in takeout meals. Cutter noted student input and stakeholder engagement in drafting and framed the measure as a cost-saving and landfill-reducing reform.

Opponents — including Senator Kirkmeyer and others — raised multiple concerns. Kirkmeyer criticized language in the bill that could exempt social-service meal programs while the legislative declaration described single-use impacts as environmental-justice issues affecting low-income communities. Kirkmeyer also highlighted the bill's enforcement provisions, noting that counties may assess civil penalties (for example, up to $500 on a second violation and up to $1,000 on a third) and questioned whether small vendors and non-English-speaking operators would be set up to fail.

Floor amendments addressed some concerns. Amendment L006 removed a legislative claim that "customers are increasingly frustrated" with single-use items; other proposed amendments to exempt farmers markets and to protect vendors lacking English-language capacity were voted on—some passed, others failed. Senators debated bundled packaging rules and whether establishments could provide bundled utensils and napkins; an amendment explicitly prohibiting packaged bundles was considered and later lost in a roll-call division.

The bill was adopted on second reading and ordered to third reading and final passage. Supporters said the bill will cut waste and save public landfill costs over time; opponents said enforcement, fines and exemptions require careful refinement before final approval.