Prairie State Wire

The Illinois House Energy and Environment Committee is advancing a bill that would ban the release of ceremonial or celebratory balloons, which they say is a danger to the environment. The bill, House Bill 418, would impose a $500 fine for first-time offenders of the new regulation. The legislation is being proposed by Rep. Sam Yingling.

About the legislation, Yingling said, “Obviously, there are significant ecological impacts and there's also significant infrastructure impact when these balloons land,” Yingling said. “Not only are they dangerous for our habitat but they also complicate our storm sewer systems and our water systems.”

The bill was passed this Monday, but some lawmakers have expressed concern about the legislation. Rep. Rita Mayfield said, “I do understand the issue, but for just a general person out here who doesn't know the law to slap them with a $500 penalty because they want to release balloons because their mother died of cancer, I just think is a bit extreme.”

Yingling said that the aim of the legislation is to prevent the coordinated release of a large number of balloons, which can become an environmental hazard not only from a litter standpoint, but also in damaging the habitat of animals and endangering them through the threat of consumption. Yingling also said that he is working with regulatory agencies to include clarifying language that would hopefully exclude individuals and small instances of balloon releases. 

Rep. Tim Butler, a Republican from Springfield, also chimed in with concern, saying, “I do appreciate the sentiment of this legislation, I do think it's important and whatever we can do to educate groups and organizations to stay away from balloon launches I think would be good.”

The bill has passed, as of now, but it is likely that it will be tweaked in the coming weeks to protect individuals from what many consider to be an extreme fine.