NEW YORK - Enforcement of the ban on single-use plastic bags will take effect statewide on October 19.

The legislation took effect March 1 but hasn't been enforced, in part because of the pandemic and worries about re-usable bags, and also because of a lawsuit from plastic bag manufacturers. 

Enforcement of the ban was supposed to start April 1, after business owners had a chance to use up the plastic bags they already had in stock.

The law requires customers to bring their own reusable bags, buy a reusable bag or pay a five-cent fee for a paper bag.