AlaskaVetoed bill would limit foam food containers at restaurants and state agencies
The vetoed measure would limit foam food containers at restaurants and in state use, while allowing customer containers only under rules to prevent contamination.
What it does
Restaurants would be barred from serving prepared food in disposable foam containers, and the state could not use or buy them. Exceptions and possible restaurant exemptions would apply.
The department could allow restaurants to serve food in clean containers customers bring, if it adopts rules to prevent cross-contamination.
Restaurants and the state could keep using foam food containers they obtained or bought before the effective date.
Argument forIf adopted and effective, the limits could reduce foam container use by restaurants and state agencies, while encouraging restaurants to reuse serving ware.
Argument againstRestaurants could face cost or supply challenges finding replacements for foam containers, even though they may seek an exemption for hardship or lack of an affordable option.
More detail
The proposed law would bar restaurants from serving prepared food in disposable foam containers and would bar the state from using or buying them. The restaurant rule would cover food businesses including coffee kiosks, grocery delis, hospital and school food operations, caterers, concessions, and street vendors. A restaurant could seek a product-specific exemption if no affordable replacement is available or compliance would cause undue financial and logistical hardship. The restaurant restriction would not cover food prepared or packaged outside Alaska, an area during a disaster emergency, or restaurants in municipalities whose ordinances allow foam containers. The text set January 1, 2027, as the effective date, but the governor vetoed the measure on June 24, 2026, so it did not take effect.
The department could allow restaurants to serve food in clean containers customers bring. This would apply when a customer provides a clean container for prepared food. The department would need to adopt regulations allowing this practice and setting steps to prevent cross-contamination. The text set January 1, 2027, as the effective date, but the governor vetoed the measure on June 24, 2026, so it did not take effect.
Restaurants and the state could use foam containers obtained or purchased before the effective date. The transition rule would cover restaurant supplies already obtained and state supplies already purchased before the effective date. That use would be allowed after January 1, 2027, the stated effective date; the measure was vetoed and did not take effect.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jul 3(H) VETOED BY Governor Mike Dunleavy 6/24/26Latest
- Jun 12(H) 10:30 A.M. 6/12/26 Transmitted to GovernorTo Governor
- Jun 4(H) MANIFEST ERROR(S)
- May 19(H) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) ADOPTED Y35 N5
- Vote recorded (H) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) ADOPTED Y35 N5 #2944. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded (H) CONCUR AM OF (S) Y26 N14 #2944. Result: pass.Lower
- May 19(H) CONCUR AM OF (S) Y26 N14
- May 19(H) CONCUR MESSAGE TAKEN UP
- May 19(H) CONCUR MESSAGE READ AND HELD
- May 18(S) VERSION: SCS CSHB 25(L&C)
- Vote recorded (S) PASSED Y13 N7 #2760. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded (S) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) ADOPTED Y20 N- #2760. Result: pass.Upper
- May 18(S) TRANSMITTED TO (H) AS AMENDEDMajor
- May 18(S) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) ADOPTED Y20 N-
- May 18(S) PASSED Y13 N7Major
- May 18(S) READ THE THIRD TIME SCS CSHB 25(L&C)Minor
- May 17(S) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 5/18 CALMinor
- May 17(S) L&C SCS ADOPTED UC
- May 17(S) READ THE SECOND TIMEMinor
- May 17(S) RULES TO CALENDAR 5/17/2026
- May 16(S) FN2: ZERO(DEC)
- May 16(S) DP: DUNBAR, GRAY-JACKSON
- May 16(S) NR: BJORKMAN, YUNDT
- May 16(S) L&C RPT SCS 2NR 2DP SAME TITLE
- May 15(S) Moved SCS CSHB 25(L&C) Out of Committee
- May 15(S) LABOR & COMMERCE at 01:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
- May 11(S) Heard & Held
- May 11(S) LABOR & COMMERCE at 01:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
- May 6(S) FN2: ZERO(DEC)
- May 6(S) NR: BJORKMAN, TILTON
- May 6(S) DP: KAWASAKI, GRAY-JACKSON
- May 6(S) STA RPT 2DP 2NR
- May 5(S) Minutes (SSTA)
- May 5(S) Moved CSHB 25(L&C) AM Out of Committee
- May 5(S) STATE AFFAIRS at 03:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
- Apr 28(S) Minutes (SSTA)
- Apr 28(S) Heard & Held
- Apr 28(S) STATE AFFAIRS at 03:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
- Apr 22(S) CROSS SPONSOR(S): KAWASAKI, TOBIN, GRAY-JACKSON
- Apr 22(S) STA, L&C
- Apr 22(S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALSMinor
- Apr 21(H) VERSION: CSHB 25(L&C) AM
- Vote recorded (H) PASSED Y25 N15 #2248. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded (H) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) ADOPTED Y40 #2248. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 21(H) TRANSMITTED TO (S)Passed Senate
- Apr 21(H) COSPONSOR(S): GALVIN
- Apr 21(H) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) ADOPTED Y40
- Apr 21(H) PASSED Y25 N15Passed House
- Apr 21(H) READ THE THIRD TIME CSHB 25(L&C) AMMinor
- Apr 20(H) HELD TO 4/21 CALENDAR
- Apr 16(H) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 4/20 CALENDARMinor
- Vote recorded (H) AM NO 8 FAILED Y19 N20 E1 # 2198. Result: fail.Lower
- Vote recorded (H) AM NO 11 FAILED Y8 N31 E1 # 2199. Result: fail.Lower
- Apr 16(H) AM NO 11 FAILED Y8 N31 E1Minor
- Apr 16(H) AM NO 10 NOT OFFERED
- Apr 16(H) AM NO 9 ADOPTED UCMajor
- Apr 16(H) AM NO 8 FAILED Y19 N20 E1Minor
- Apr 16(H) BEFORE HOUSE IN SECOND READING
- Apr 14(H) HELD IN SECOND READING TO 4/16 CALENDAR
- Vote recorded (H) AM NO 4 FAILED Y14 N25 E1 # 2179. Result: fail.Lower
- Vote recorded (H) AM 1 TO AM 2 ADOPTED Y30 N9 E1 #2177. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded (H) AM NO 2 AS AMD FAILED Y15 N24 E1 # 2178. Result: fail.Lower
- Vote recorded (H) AM NO 4 FAILED Y14 N25 E1 # 2180. Result: fail.Lower
- Vote recorded (H) AM NO 1 ADOPTED Y29 N11 # 2175. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded (H) AM NO 6 FAILED Y19 N20 E1 # 2181. Result: fail.Lower
- Vote recorded (H) AM NO 3 ADOPTED Y28 N11 E1 # 2179. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded (H) AM NO 5 FAILED Y18 N21 E1 # 2180. Result: fail.Lower
- Apr 14(H) DEADLINE FOR ALL AMS AT 2:30 P.M. TODAY UC
- Apr 14(H) AM NO 8 OFFERED AND PENDING
- Apr 14(H) AM NO 7 NOT OFFERED
- Apr 14(H) AM NO 6 FAILED Y19 N20 E1Minor
- Apr 14(H) AM NO 5 FAILED Y18 N21 E1Minor
- Apr 14(H) AM NO 4 FAILED Y14 N25 E1Minor
- Apr 14(H) AM NO 3 ADOPTED Y28 N11 E1Major
- Apr 14(H) AM NO 2 AS AMD FAILED Y15 N24 E1Minor
- Apr 14(H) AM 1 TO AM 2 ADOPTED Y30 N9 E1
- Apr 14(H) AM NO 2 BEFORE HOUSE
- Apr 14(H) AM NO 2 OFFERED AND PENDING
- Apr 14(H) AM NO 1 ADOPTED Y29 N11Major
- Apr 14(H) L&C CS ADOPTED UC
- Apr 14(H) READ THE SECOND TIMEMinor
- Apr 14(H) MOVED TO BOTTOM OF CALENDAR
- Apr 13(H) HELD TO 4/14 CALENDAR
- Apr 13(H) MOVED TO BOTTOM OF CALENDAR
- Apr 13(H) MOVED TO BOTTOM OF CALENDAR
- Apr 13(H) RULES TO CALENDAR 4/13/2026
- Mar 25(H) COSPONSOR(S): JIMMIE
- Mar 5(H) COSPONSOR(S): FIELDS
- Mar 4(H) COSPONSOR(S): FOSTER
- Feb 2(H) COSPONSOR(S): CARRICK
- Jan 23(H) COSPONSOR(S): MINA
- Jan 22(H) COSPONSOR(S): STORY
- 2025
- Apr 7(H) COSPONSOR(S): BURKE, HANNAN
- Mar 28(H) COSPONSOR(S): HALL
- Mar 17(H) FN1: ZERO(DEC)
- Mar 17(H) NR: NELSON, COULOMBE
- Mar 17(H) DP: CARRICK, BURKE, HALL, FIELDS
- Mar 17(H) L&C RPT CS(L&C) NEW TITLE 4DP 2NR
- Mar 14(H) Minutes (HL&C)
- Mar 14(H) Moved CSHB 25(L&C) Out of Committee
- Mar 14(H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124
- Mar 10(H) -- Public Testimony -- -- MEETING CANCELED --
- Mar 10(H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124
- Mar 5(H) Minutes (HL&C)
- Mar 5(H) Heard & Held
- Mar 5(H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124
- Feb 26(H) FN1: ZERO(DEC)
- Feb 26(H) AM: MCCABE, MOORE
- Feb 26(H) DP: HOLLAND, HIMSCHOOT, STORY, CARRICK
- Feb 26(H) STA RPT 4DP 2AM
- Feb 25(H) Minutes (HSTA)
- Feb 25(H) Moved HB 25 Out of Committee
- Feb 25(H) STATE AFFAIRS at 03:15 PM GRUENBERG 120
- Feb 20(H) Minutes (HSTA)
- Feb 20(H) Heard & Held
- Feb 20(H) STATE AFFAIRS at 03:15 PM GRUENBERG 120
- Feb 18(H) Minutes (HSTA)
- Feb 18(H) Heard & Held
- Feb 18(H) STATE AFFAIRS at 03:15 PM GRUENBERG 120
- Jan 22(H) STA, L&C
- Jan 22(H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALSMinor
- Jan 22(H) Prefile released 1/10/25Introduced
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