A ban on retailers distributing single-use plastic bags has failed in California. The state Senate rejected a measure that would have barred stores from free distribution of plastic bags and created consumer incentives for reusable bags. The measure, Assembly Bill 1998, was the target of intense lobbying by industry groups, including the American Chemistry Council. According to Supermarket News, about 75 California municipalities are considering similar bans, with some of them waiting to see what action the state would take.