PROVIDENCE — Mayor Jorge Elorza on Wednesday signed into law an ordinance that will ban the use of plastic checkout bags in the city.

The Retail Plastic Bag Reduction Act, which passed the City Council on April 22, will take effect in six months.

The law prohibits retailers from distributing plastic checkout bags, unless they can prove a qualifying exemption, and requires the city’s Office of Sustainability to conduct environmental education and outreach programs.

The council passed a similar ordinance last year, but Mayor Jorge Elorza vetoed it because he felt more community engagement was needed before enacting a ban.

Unlike the 2018 ordinance, the new ordinance does not require retailers to charge a fee for replacement bags they provide to customers.

Providence City Council Majority Leader Jo-Ann Ryan, who represents Ward 5, led the charge on both versions of the ordinance and has been working on the issue since she began serving on the council in 2015.

After the mayor signed the ordinance into law on Wednesday, she said she felt “elated.”

“It’s a huge step for Providence,” she said.

According to the ordinance, the city’s Office of Sustainability now has 60 days to draft an implementation plan, which will include education and outreach efforts.

— mlist@providencejournal.com

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On Twitter: @madeleine_list