TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A bill that would make intentionally releasing balloons illegal is headed to Gov. Ron DeSantis' desk.
The House voted 102-9 to pass House Bill 321 on Tuesday, while the Senate approved it on Monday with a vote of 38-2.
The bill considers intentionally releasing balloons outdoors a noncriminal littering offense punishable with fines up to $150 with $50 deposited into the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund’s grant program.
Rep. Linda Chaney sponsored the bill, with Sen. Nick DiCeglie filing the Senate version.
“Livestock has died, turtles have died and there’s just really not a good reason to release a balloon,” Chaney said at a House session Tuesday.
Balloons can be mistaken for food by marine wildlife, and the string or ribbon attached can cause suffocation and injury if an animal gets entangled, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Rep. Dianne Hart voted against the bill because of the cultural significance of releasing balloons in the Black community. She said balloon releases are used as a celebration of life at funerals, and she's concerned about it turning into a criminal offense if someone doesn’t pay the fine.
”I love the environment. Please don’t get it wrong. But I also love my people more,” Hart said.
Chaney said the legislation is mainly educational because most people don't typically get ticketed for littering.
She also said she spoke with a Florida funeral home association to give them information to pass on to their clients to prevent any fines. Chaney said she encourages other representatives to help change the culture to celebrate in a less harmful way.
Current Florida law allows people to release less than 10 balloons within 24 hours with a $250 fine for violating it. There are more than 30 laws regulating the release of balloons in states such as California, Connecticut and Tennessee.
The Senate amended the bill to exempt children 6 years old and younger from facing penalties. Other exceptions to this bill would be hot air balloons recovered after launching and balloons released indoors.
A similar law was proposed last year by Chaney, but it died in the House.
If DeSantis signs the bill, it will go into effect on July 1.
