Albuquerque City Council overrides mayor’s veto on plastic bag ban repeal

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The Albuquerque City Council voted Monday night to override Mayor Tim Keller’s veto on the plastic bag ban repeal and let a vaccine mandate repeal veto stand.

City councilors voted 6-3 to overturn the mayor’s veto aimed at saving the "Clean and Green Ordinance," a bill that prevented most businesses from handing out single-use plastic bags to shoppers. The councilors argued the ban put extra costs on businesses and consumers.

The mayor’s second regarding potential vaccine mandates for city employees will still stand.

Last month, the council passed a resolution banning the city from requiring its employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Although there is no vaccine requirement currently in place for city workers, the mayor has said he wants to leave that possibility open.