Bill Text: IL HB0418 | 2021-2022 | 102nd General Assembly | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that no person shall knowingly release or cause or organize the release of balloons into the air unless the balloons are (1) used by an institution of higher education or a governmental agency, or pursuant to a governmental contract, for bona fide scientific or meteorological purposes or (2) released indoors and remain indoors. Provides that persons who violate the amendatory Act's provisions shall be subject to a civil penalty of $500 for each offense, and that the release of 50 balloons or fewer at one time is a single offense. Effective January 1, 2022.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 12-2)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2021-05-05 - Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Laura M. Murphy [HB0418 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2021-HB0418-Introduced.html

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102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2021 and 2022 HB0418 Introduced , by Rep. Sam Yingling SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
415 ILCS 5/52.10 new
Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that no person shall knowingly release or cause or organize the release of balloons into the air unless the balloons are (1) used by an institution of higher education or a governmental agency, or pursuant to a governmental contract, for bona fide scientific or meteorological purposes or (2) released indoors and remain indoors. Provides that persons who violate the amendatory Act's provisions shall be subject to a civil penalty of $500 for each offense, and that the release of 50 balloons or fewer at one time is a single offense. Effective January 1, 2022.
LRB102 03903 CPF 13918 b
FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY
A BILL FOR
HB0418 LRB102 03903 CPF 13918 b
AN ACT concerning safety.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Environmental Protection Act is amended by
adding Section 52.10 as follows:
(415 ILCS 5/52.10 new)
Sec. 52.10. Release of balloons.
(a) In this Section:
"Balloon" means any inflatable object manufactured from
plastic, latex, rubber, or mylar that is filled with a
lighter-than-air gas, such as helium. "Balloon" does not
include hot air balloons used to carry human passengers.
"Institution of higher education" means a nonpublic
institution of higher education or a public institution of
higher education, as those terms are defined in Section 2 of
the Higher Education Cooperation Act.
(b) No person shall knowingly release or cause or organize
the release of balloons into the air.
(c) This Section does not apply to the following:
(1) Balloons used by an institution of higher
education or a governmental agency, or pursuant to a
governmental contract, for bona fide scientific or
meteorological purposes.

HB0418 - 2 - LRB102 03903 CPF 13918 b
(2) Balloons that are released indoors and remain
indoors.
(d) Any person who violates this Section shall be subject
to a civil penalty of $500 for each offense. The release of 50
balloons or fewer at one time is a single offense.
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January
1, 2022.