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History
- Referred to environmental conservation
- Referred to environmental conservation
Companion bill
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Prohibits release of certain balloons
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Brian Kavanagh
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to prohibiting the release of certain balloons
Purpose
Prohibits the mass release of helium balloons into the environment
Summary of provisions
Section 1: Legislative findings. The release into the atmosphere of large numbers of helium balloons poses a danger and nuisance to the environment, particularly to wildlife and marine animals.
Section 2: En Con law is amended by adding two new sections. Section 11-0329 is added to prohibit any business, firm or corporation from intentionally releasing within a twenty-four hour period twenty-five or more balloons inflated with helium or any other substance which causes the balloon to rise or float in the atmosphere. Exceptions to the prohibition include the following: (1) Balloons used for carrying scientific instrumentation or by a person on behalf of a governmental agency, or pursuant to a governmental contract for scientific or meteorological purposes; (2) Hot air balloons that are recovered after launching; and (3) Balloons released indoors. Section 71-0929 would provide that any violation of 11-0329 shall be punishable by a civil penalty often dollars for each balloon released, not to exceed fifty thousand dollars.
Justification
What goes up must come down. Releasing balloons may seem like a harmless activity, but the litter caused by balloons has a significant impact on the environment. The hazards posed by balloons on marine life are well documented. The release of latex balloons into the atmosphere is a hazard to endangered sea turtles, whales, sea birds and other marine life. The vast majority of the balloons come down over the ocean and because these balloons resemble food jellyfish) are eaten by marine life. At this point the animal can choke or the balloon becomes lodged in such a way as to prevent the animal from absorbing nutrients, thereby starving to death. Balloons have been found in the guts of dead sea turtles and whales in the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Legislation has already been passed in Florida, Connecticut, Tennessee, and Virginia limiting the release of helium balloons and has been considered in Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Rhode Island. Suffolk County recently passed a similar ban.
Legislative history
2008: A7630 (Kavanagh) - Passed Assembly 2007: A7630 (Kavanagh) - Passed Assembly 2007: A449 (Grannis) - En Con 2006: A1373 (Grannis) - En Con 2005: A1373 (Grannis) - Codes 2003-04: A1850 (Grannis) - Codes 2002: A299 (Grannis) - Codes 2001: A299 (Grannis) - En Con 1999-00: A1151 (Grannis) - Codes 1997-98: A464 (Grannis) - En Con 1996: A638 (Grannis) - En Con 1995: A638 (Grannis) - Passed Assembly 1993-94: A617 (Grannis) - Passed Assembly 1991-92: A5278 (Grannis) - Passed Assembly 1990: A9603 (Grannis)-Assembly Rules
Fiscal impact on the state
None.
Effective date
The first of November next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.