Senate Bill S2812A

2021-2022 Legislative Session

Prohibits the release of certain balloons

download bill text pdf

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Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Environmental Conservation Committee


  • Introduced
    • In Committee Assembly
    • In Committee Senate
    • On Floor Calendar Assembly
    • On Floor Calendar Senate
    • Passed Assembly
    • Passed Senate
  • Delivered to Governor
  • Signed By Governor

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Bill Amendments

2021-S2812 - Details

Current Committee:
Senate Environmental Conservation
Law Section:
Environmental Conservation Law
Laws Affected:
Add §§11-0331 & 71-0929, En Con L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2017-2018: S7094
2019-2020: S2320
2023-2024: S605
2025-2026: S75

2021-S2812 - Summary

Prohibits the outdoor release of ten or more balloons filled with helium or a substance which causes the balloon to rise or float in the atmosphere, within a twenty-four hour period, in order to reduce litter and protect the marine environment; makes related provisions for enforcement and for certain exceptions.

2021-S2812 - Sponsor Memo

2021-S2812 - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2812
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 25, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. KAVANAGH -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Environmental Conservation
 
 AN ACT to amend the  environmental  conservation  law,  in  relation  to
   prohibiting the release of certain balloons
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1.  Legislative  findings.  The  legislature  finds  that  the
 release  of  large quantities of helium-filled balloons result in litter
 on land and at sea; that sea mammals and  other  marine  life  die  upon
 ingesting  deflated  balloons;  that growing public awareness concerning
 pollution has had the salutary effect of  causing  the  cancellation  of
 several celebratory and promotional launches of balloons; and that plac-
 ing  statutory  limitations  on  the  quantity  of  balloons that may be
 launched will reduce litter and protect the ocean environment, and is in
 the public interest.
   § 2. The environmental conservation law is amended by adding  two  new
 sections 11-0331 and 71-0929 to read as follows:
 § 11-0331. RELEASE OF CERTAIN BALLOONS PROHIBITED.
   1.  NO  BUSINESS,  FIRM, CORPORATION OR ASSOCIATION SHALL KNOWINGLY OR
 INTENTIONALLY RELEASE OR CAUSE TO BE  RELEASED  AT  ANY  SINGLE  OUTDOOR
 CELEBRATION, PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITY, SPORTING OR OTHER PUBLIC EVENT WITHIN
 A  TWENTY-FOUR  HOUR  PERIOD  MORE THAN TWENTY-FIVE BALLOONS FILLED WITH
 HELIUM OR OTHER SUBSTANCE WHICH CAUSES THE BALLOON TO RISE OR  FLOAT  IN
 THE ATMOSPHERE. THIS SECTION SHALL NOT APPLY TO:
   (A)  BALLOONS  WHICH  ARE  USED FOR THE PURPOSE OF CARRYING SCIENTIFIC
 INSTRUMENTATION DURING THE  PERFORMANCE  OF  AN  EXPERIMENT  OR  TESTING
 PROCEDURE  OR BY A PERSON ON BEHALF OF A GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY OR PURSUANT
 TO A GOVERNMENTAL CONTRACT FOR SCIENTIFIC OR METEOROLOGICAL PURPOSES;
   (B) HOT AIR BALLOONS THAT ARE RECOVERED AFTER LAUNCHING;
   (C) BALLOONS RELEASED INDOORS.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD06207-01-1
              

2021-S2812A (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:
Senate Environmental Conservation
Law Section:
Environmental Conservation Law
Laws Affected:
Add §§11-0331 & 71-0929, En Con L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2017-2018: S7094
2019-2020: S2320
2023-2024: S605
2025-2026: S75

2021-S2812A (ACTIVE) - Summary

Prohibits the outdoor release of ten or more balloons filled with helium or a substance which causes the balloon to rise or float in the atmosphere, within a twenty-four hour period, in order to reduce litter and protect the marine environment; makes related provisions for enforcement and for certain exceptions.

2021-S2812A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2021-S2812A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  2812--A
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 25, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. KAVANAGH -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Environmental Conservation
   -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered  reprinted  as  amended
   and recommitted to said committee
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the  environmental  conservation law, in relation to
   prohibiting the release of certain balloons
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Legislative  findings.  The  legislature  finds  that the
 release of large quantities of helium-filled balloons result  in  litter
 on  land  and  at  sea;  that sea mammals and other marine life die upon
 ingesting deflated balloons; that growing  public  awareness  concerning
 pollution  has  had  the  salutary effect of causing the cancellation of
 several celebratory and promotional launches of balloons; and that plac-
 ing statutory limitations on  the  quantity  of  balloons  that  may  be
 launched will reduce litter and protect the ocean environment, and is in
 the public interest.
   §  2.  The environmental conservation law is amended by adding two new
 sections 11-0331 and 71-0929 to read as follows:
 § 11-0331. RELEASE OF CERTAIN BALLOONS PROHIBITED.
   1. NO BUSINESS, FIRM, CORPORATION OR ASSOCIATION  SHALL  KNOWINGLY  OR
 INTENTIONALLY  RELEASE  OR  CAUSE  TO  BE RELEASED AT ANY SINGLE OUTDOOR
 CELEBRATION, PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITY, SPORTING OR OTHER PUBLIC EVENT WITHIN
 A TWENTY-FOUR HOUR PERIOD MORE THAN TEN BALLOONS FILLED WITH  HELIUM  OR
 OTHER  SUBSTANCE WHICH CAUSES THE BALLOON TO RISE OR FLOAT IN THE ATMOS-
 PHERE. THIS SECTION SHALL NOT APPLY TO:
   (A) BALLOONS WHICH ARE USED FOR THE  PURPOSE  OF  CARRYING  SCIENTIFIC
 INSTRUMENTATION  DURING  THE  PERFORMANCE  OF  AN  EXPERIMENT OR TESTING
 PROCEDURE OR BY A PERSON ON BEHALF OF A GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY OR  PURSUANT
 TO A GOVERNMENTAL CONTRACT FOR SCIENTIFIC OR METEOROLOGICAL PURPOSES;
   (B) HOT AIR BALLOONS THAT ARE RECOVERED AFTER LAUNCHING;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

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