The Cathedral City council , addressing what is clearly the biggest issue in the city, voted three to two on Wednesday night to prohibit plastic straws in the city – despite the fact that the state of California just passed a pretty reasonable set of rules regarding straws in September.
The new rules forbid “beverage providers” from providing plastic beverage straws. According to KESQ, “beverage providers” are defined as “any business, organization, entity, group, or individual located in Cathedral City that offers liquid, slurry, frozen, semi-frozen, or other forms of beverages available to the public for consumption” – so basically everyone and how you are expected to drink a “slurry” now without a straw is beyond me.
The new rules will apply to restaurants, bars, festivals, convenience stores, and everywhere else. There is an exception for disabled persons who may receive a straw upon request.
The new rules go far beyond California’s new policy – which simply requires someone who wants a straw to ask for one at a restaurant.
The California straw law goes into effect on January 1, 2019. Cathedral City’s will debut on February 28.
On the bright side, if you know anyone in Cathedral City, you now have the perfect Christmas gift for them.
