HB851 • 2026

ENVIRONMENT/LITTERING: Provides relative to intentional littering

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: John "Big John" Illg , Jr.
Last action: 2026-05-15
Official status: Became law without the Governor's signature - Act 196
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation includes details about penalties and enforcement that are not specified in the official source material.

Rules to Prevent Intentional Balloon Releases

This act makes it illegal to intentionally release balloons, with certain exceptions and penalties.

What This Bill Does

Makes it against the law to intentionally release a balloon or organize an event that includes a planned, intentional release of twelve or more balloons.
Lists several situations where releasing balloons is allowed, such as if they are made from biodegradable materials or for scientific purposes by governmental agencies and educational institutions.
Requires law enforcement to report violations within one year of knowing about them.

Who It Names or Affects

People who intentionally release balloons or organize balloon releases.
Law enforcement officers who need to enforce the new rules.

Terms To Know

Intentional littering: Deliberately throwing away trash in a way that breaks environmental laws.
Biodegradable material: Material that can break down naturally over time without causing harm to the environment.

Limits and Unknowns

The act does not specify penalties for violations.
It is unclear how strictly law enforcement will enforce these new rules.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

House Floor Legislative Bureau Amendment #1377 Horton Adopted

Adopted

Plain English: HFLBHB851 2395 1377 HOUSE FLOOR AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by Representative Horton on behalf of the Legislative Bureau to Engrossed House Bill No.

HFLBHB851 2395 1377 HOUSE FLOOR AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by Representative Horton on behalf of the Legislative Bureau to Engrossed House Bill No.
851 by Representative Illg 1 AMENDMENT NO.
1 2 On page 1, line 15, change "Subparagraph" to "Paragraph" Page 1 of 1 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions.

Bill History

2026-05-15 H
Effective date: 08/01/2026.
2026-05-15 H
Becomes Act No. 196 without the Governor's signature.
2026-05-07 H
Sent to the Governor for executive approval.
2026-05-07 S
Signed by the President of the Senate.
2026-05-06 H
Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.
2026-05-06 H
Received from the Senate without amendments.
2026-05-05 S
Read by title, passed by a vote of 32 yeas and 2 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
2026-04-21 S
Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.
2026-04-20 S
Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
2026-04-15 S
Reported favorably.
2026-04-07 S
Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Natural Resources.
2026-04-01 S
Received in the Senate. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.
2026-03-31 H
Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 88, nays 6. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
2026-03-30 H
Scheduled for floor debate on 03/31/2026.
2026-03-26 H
Read by title, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.
2026-03-25 H
Reported favorably (17-0-1).
2026-03-09 H
Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Natural Resources and Environment.
2026-02-27 H
First appeared in the Interim Calendar on 2/27/2026.
2026-02-27 H
Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Natural Resources and Environment.
2026-02-27 H
Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

ENVIRONMENT/LITTERING: Provides relative to intentional littering

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

ENROLLED
ACT No. 1962026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 851
BY REPRESENTATIVES ILLG, BAYHAM, COATES, COX, DESHOTEL, DEWITT,
DICKERSON, DOMANGUE, FREIBERG, GEYMANN, GREEN, DANA HENRY,
TRAVIS JOHNSON, JACOB LANDRY, MANDIE LANDRY, MACK, MOORE,
ORGERON, RISER, SAWYER, SCHAMERHORN, SCHLEGEL, AND
ZERINGUE AND SENATOR CATHEY
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 30:2531(A)(4) and to enact R.S. 30:2531(A)(5), relative to
3 littering; to prevent the intentional release of balloons; to provide for exceptions and
4 penalties; and to provide for related matters.
5 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1. R.S. 30:2531(A)(4) is hereby amended and reenacted and R.S.
7 30:2531(A)(5) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
8 §2531. Intentional littering prohibited; criminal penalties; simple littering
9 prohibited; civil penalties; special court costs
10 A. Intentional littering.
11 * * *
12 (4) Whoever violates the provisions of this Subsection by intentionally
13 releasing a balloon or by organizing an event that includes a planned, intentional
14 release of twelve or more balloons is subject to the penalties provided in Paragraph
15 (A)(2) of this Subsection.
16 (a) The provisions of this Subsection shall not apply to the following:
17 (i) Persons under the age of seventeen.
18 (ii) The negligent or unintentional release of a balloon.
19 (iii) The release of a balloon indoors.
Page 1 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HB NO. 851 ENROLLED
1 (iv) The release of a balloon made of biodegradable or photobiodegradable
2 material.
3 (v) The release of a balloon for scientific or meteorological purposes by or
4 on behalf of a governmental agency, under a governmental contract, or by an
5 educational institution.
6 (vi) The release of a balloon that is attached to a radio tracking device by a
7 person who holds a valid amateur radio operator license.
8 (vii) A hot air balloon that is recovered after launch.
9 (b) For purposes of this Subsection, the intentional release of multiple
10 balloons at a single event, location, or time is a single violation.
11 (4)(5) A violation of this Subsection shall be cited within one year of the
12 date on which law enforcement knew or reasonably should have known of the
13 commission of the act.
14 * * *
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.