Delegate Nancy Guy has submitted a bill (HB 507) to amend and reenact § 29.1-556.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to the release of balloons. In summary: The amendment prohibits any person, with certain exceptions, from knowingly releasing or causing to be released any balloon outdoors and provides that any person convicted of a violation shall be liable for a civil penalty of not less than $250 or more than $2,500, to be paid into the Litter Control and Recycling Fund. A court may, as an alternative to imposing the penalty, require the performance of at least 10 hours of community service in litter abatement activities. Current law prohibits a person from releasing 50 or more balloons within an hour and sets the civil penalty at $5 per balloon, with the proceeds deposited into the Lifetime Hunting and Fishing Endowment Fund.

Delegate Guy’s bill does not ban balloons or the sale of balloons. It simply prevents the intentional outdoor release of balloons into the environment and treats intentional balloon releases like all other litter with the same fines imposed for other intentional littering. Virginia’s current law regarding balloon releases is outdated and needs to be changed to prevent further environmental impacts and serious injuries to wildlife.

First stop for this bill is the Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources. Please call your local Delegate and ask them to support HB 507. You can track the bill here: http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=201&typ=bil&val=hb507