The long-running housing crisis and homeless problems in California’s big Democrat-run cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco have been well-documented. But the tens of thousands of those living on the streets in L.A. can rest a little easier this week as the ‘second phase’ of the city’s straw ban has gone into effect.

KABC reports:

The first phase of the “Straws on Request” initiative went into effect in April on Earth Day, and applied to restaurants with more than 26 employees. The second phase expands the ordinance to include restaurants of all sizes, including fast food and sit down businesses.

Under the city ordinance, restaurants can only provide plastic straws if a patron asks for one.

Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell and the city’s Bureau of Sanitation held a press conference Monday morning in Echo Park to remind restaurants of the law.

O’Farrell said the law seeks to reduce “single-use plastic waste from littering our beaches and waterways.”

Per the L.A. County website, “non-compliance may result in notices of violation and $25 fines for each day the business is in violation, not to exceed $300 annually.”

CBS Los Angeles notes that the L.A. version of the straw ban goes even further than a similar law already in place at the state level:

The Los Angeles ordinance is more restrictive than a state law that bars full-service restaurants from automatically giving out single-use plastic straws because it applies to fast food restaurants and is the latest in a series of moves to by several other cities and organizations to cut down the use of plastic straws.

City Councilman Mitch O’Farrell (D), who led the effort to get the straw ban in place, told a journalist during a news conference this week that in his opinion people didn’t really need straws to drink with anyway. He also provided smoothie drinkers with some helpful advice:

L.A. will prohibit all restaurants and vendors from handing out plastic straws unless requested effective Oct. 1. Councilman Mitch O’Farrell says people don’t even need a straw to drink a smoothie. “Just have them blend it a little thinner.” @KFIAM640 pic.twitter.com/PwGP9B9tRK

— mollenbeck (@amollenbeckKFI) September 30, 2019

Twitter users had a some thoughts and questions after reading the news about Phase Two of the straw ban and O’Farrell’s suggestion:

Los Angeles City Council bans plastic straws. Hallelujah!

Meanwhile, there is still a cardboard homeless village on the sidewalk under the overpass over Venice Blvd in Councilman @MikeBoninLA's district, where continue to shoot up behind fast-food restaurants.

Priorities. https://t.co/VJhlo5UauC

— Phineas Fahrquar (@irishspy) October 1, 2019

60,000 homeless and this is problem they need a news conference to announce action?

— K Blank (@kjblank80) October 1, 2019

is shitting in the street still cool?

— ed (@eleventy17) September 30, 2019

Can people use their empty syringes for a straw? Or will that make them illegal?

— Lexi (@penngirl72) September 30, 2019

Amazing! Los Angeles is finally focusing on the important issues instead of wasting time on trivial matters like homelessness, contaminated drug needles strewn about, and disease infested streets.

— The Gunny (@Gunny_Says) October 1, 2019

They look so proud of themselves in this picture…LA is buried in trash and feces but not a single plastic straw in sight.

— Sandra V (@itssandrav) September 30, 2019

Fox News took an in-depth look at the homeless crisis in Los Angeles back in August. Watch their report below to find out just how bad it is, and what L.A. is (not) doing about it:

Infuriating.

(Hat tip: Twitchy)

Flashback –>> Disabled Woman Tweets Epic Thread Demonstrating the Absurdity of Plastic Straw Bans – and Her Rant Goes Viral

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— Based in North Carolina, Sister Toldjah is a former liberal and a 15+ year veteran of blogging with an emphasis on media bias, social issues, and the culture wars. Read her Red State archives here. Connect with her on Twitter. –