Bill Text: IL HB5351 | 2019-2020 | 101st General Assembly | Introduced

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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, 2021.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-06-23 - Rule 19(b) / Re-referred to Rules Committee [HB5351 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2019-HB5351-Introduced.html

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101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2019 and 2020 HB5351 Introduced , by Rep. Kelly M. Cassidy 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, 2021.
LRB101 20764 CPF 70453 b
FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY
A BILL FOR
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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.
"Person" means an individual, corporation, company,
association, firm, partnership, society, or any other entity.
(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

HB5351 - 2 - LRB101 20764 CPF 70453 b
contract, for bona fide scientific or meteorological
purposes.
(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, 2021.