BILL NUMBER: S153
SPONSOR: PALUMBO
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to
prohibiting the release of balloons
 
PURPOSE::
To ban the release of certain balloons that cause irreparable harm to
wildlife and the environment.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS::
Section 1. Legislative findings
Section 2. Adds section 11-0331 to the environmental conservation law
that prohibits the intentional outdoor release of certain balloons,
defined in subsection 1 and provides for exceptions to the ban in
subsection 2.
Section 3. Amends 71-0923 of the environmental conservation law to
provide for penalties for violations of the above section.
Section 4. Sets the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION::
When balloons are released into our airspace, balloon debris is intro-
duced into our environment and our ecosystem. Like other plastics,
balloon debris takes hundreds of years to degrade resulting in the last-
ing and harmful pollution of our waterways, beaches and environment.
Balloon debris is also particularly harmful to marine and wildlife
commonly causing injury and death through ingestion and entanglement. In
addition, balloons can pose a significant economic risk to boaters and
the fishing industry by causing potentially severe damage to boats while
Mylar balloons can also threaten utility supply.
This legislation seeks to curb the intentional release of balloons to
prevent the wasting of natural resources, the littering and pollution of
our communities and waterways and the unnecessary harming of marine and
wildlife.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY::
2024 S.2262; S.2022 S.5308/A.5902; S.7985/A.8522.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS::
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE::
This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the
date on which it shall have become a law.

Statutes affected:
S153: 71-0923 environmental conservation law