---
type: "Bill"
title: "AN ACT RELATING TO FOOD AND DRUGS -- SINGLE-USE PLASTIC STRAWS (Prohibits a food service establishment from providing a consumer with a single-use plastic straw, unless the consumer requests such a straw.)"
description: "AN ACT RELATING TO FOOD AND DRUGS -- SINGLE-USE PLASTIC STRAWS (Prohibits a food service establishment from providing a consumer with a single-use plastic straw, unless the consumer requests such a straw.)"
jurisdiction: "us/states/ri"
legislature: "Rhode Island General Assembly"
session: "2021"
identifier: "HB 5131"
citation: "Rhode Island HB 5131 (2021)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Business & Professions", "Environment", "Fees", "Food and Drugs", "Recycling"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Bennett"]
version_count: 1
action_count: 12
vote_count: 1
first_action: "2021-01-25"
last_action: "2021-07-07"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/04dad13e-a96c-4af3-a86d-1570cb200d88"
source_url: "https://status.rilegislature.gov/"
source_hash: "e5fda7cfd6ed0164b787e23f3b0232ea120fe6603f0bbd07c3a5fe8ab2a82943"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-ri"]
---

# Rhode Island HB 5131 (2021) — AN ACT RELATING TO FOOD AND DRUGS -- SINGLE-USE PLASTIC STRAWS (Prohibits a food service establishment from providing a consumer with a single-use plastic straw, unless the consumer requests such a straw.)

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **5131 SUB A** (committee substitute) — [source](http://webserver.rilin.state.ri.us/BillText/BillText21/HouseText21/H5131A.pdf)

## Votes

- PASSAGE — **60–7** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Bennett — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2021-01-25** 01/25/2021 Introduced, referred to House Environment and Natural Resources `introduction, referral-committee`
- **2021-02-18** 02/18/2021 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (02/26/2021)
- **2021-02-26** 02/26/2021 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
- **2021-06-25** 06/25/2021 Scheduled for consideration (06/28/2021)
- **2021-06-25** 06/25/2021 Proposed Substitute
- **2021-06-28** 06/28/2021 Committee recommends passage of Sub A `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2021-06-28** 06/28/2021 Placed on House Calendar (06/30/2021)
- **2021-06-30** 06/30/2021 House passed Sub A `passage`
- **2021-07-01** 07/01/2021 Placed on Senate Calendar (07/01/2021)
- **2021-07-01** 07/01/2021 Senate passed Sub A in concurrence `passage`
- **2021-07-02** 07/02/2021 Transmitted to Governor `executive-receipt`
- **2021-07-07** 07/07/2021 Signed by Governor `executive-signature`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/04dad13e-a96c-4af3-a86d-1570cb200d88`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Rhode Island legislature records).