Balloons; release of nonbiodegradable balloons outdoors prohibited, civil penalty.
Summary
Release of balloon prohibited; civil penalty. Prohibits any individual 16 years of age or older or other person, including a corporation, from intentionally releasing, discarding, or causing to be released or discarded any nonbiodegradable balloon outdoors and provides that any person convicted of such violation is liable for a civil penalty of $25 per balloon, to be paid into the Game Protection Fund. The bill provides that if a person under the age of 16 releases a balloon at the instruction of an adult, the adult shall be liable for the civil penalty. Current law prohibits a person from knowingly releasing 50 or more such 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.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2021
Committee Review
Feb 2021
House of Delegates Passage
Jan 2021
Senate Passage
Feb 2021
Signed into Law
Mar 2021
Introduced Jan 12, 2021
Signed Mar 30, 2021
Floor votes · Senate Feb 17, 2021 · House of Delegates Jan 25, 2021
How they voted
33–0
Passed
Total votes 33
Feb 17, 2021
D
Democratic17
100% Yea
R
Republican16
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
31
Key actions
9
Committee
8
Amendments
1
Mar 30, 2021
Signed into law
Approved by Governor-Chapter 420 (effective 7/1/21)
executive
Feb 18, 2021
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate (22-Y 17-N)
upper
Feb 17, 2021
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (33-0)
senate
Feb 16, 2021
Upper · Passed
Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (8-Y 7-N)
upper
Jan 26, 2021
Committee
Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources
upper
Jan 25, 2021
Lower · Passed
Read third time and passed House (59-Y 40-N 1-A)
lower
Jan 22, 2021
Introduced
Engrossed by House as amended HB2159E
lower
Jan 22, 2021
Lower · Passed
Committee amendments agreed to
lower
Jan 20, 2021
Lower · Passed
Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources with amendment(s) (14-Y 8-N)
lower
Jan 20, 2021
Lower · Passed
House committee, floor amendments and substitutes offered
lower
Jan 20, 2021
Lower · Passed
Subcommittee recommends reporting (5-Y 3-N)
lower
Jan 15, 2021
Committee
Assigned ACNR sub: Natural Resources
lower
Jan 12, 2021
Committee
Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources
lower
Jan 12, 2021
Introduced
Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/13/21 21102435D
lower
1 primary · 2 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Nancy D. Guy
DDemocratic
Co
Betsy Carr
DDemocratic
Co
Kathleen Murphy
DDemocratic
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