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HB638 • 2026

Balloons; prohibit intentional releasing or discarding of.

AN ACT TO PROHIBIT A PERSON SIXTEEN YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER FROM INTENTIONALLY RELEASING OR DISCARDING, OR CAUSING TO BE RELEASED OR DISCARDED OUTDOORS, ANY BALLOON MADE OF A NONBIODEGRADABLE OR NONPHOTODEGRADABLE MATERIAL OR ANY MATERIAL THAT REQUIRES MORE THAN FIVE MINUTES CONTACT WITH AIR OR WATER TO DEGRADE; TO PROVIDE PENALTIES FOR A VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION; TO PROVIDE CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS FOR BALLOONS RELEASED FOR SCIENTIFIC OR METEOROLOGICAL PURPOSES BY ANY STATE OR FEDERAL AGENCY, OR AS PART OF A CONTRACT WITH THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE UNITED STATES, OR ANY OTHER STATE, TERRITORY, OR GOVERNMENT, OR HOT AIR BALLOONS THAT ARE RECOVERED AFTER LAUNCH; TO DEFINE THE TERM "HOT AIR BALLOON"; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor
Fondren
Last action
2026-02-03
Official status
Dead
Effective date
July 1, 20

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass and was stopped in committee, so there are no further details on implementation or enforcement.

Balloons: No More Intentional Releases

This bill makes it illegal for people aged sixteen or older to release balloons that do not break down quickly in the environment and sets fines for violators, with exceptions for scientific purposes and hot air balloons.

What This Bill Does

  • Makes it against the law for anyone sixteen years old or older to let go of a balloon made from materials that take more than five minutes to break down when they touch air or water.
  • Requires people who break this rule to pay $25 for each balloon released, and this money goes into a special fund called the Mississippi Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund.
  • Does not apply to balloons used by government agencies for science or weather studies, or hot air balloons that are recovered after being launched.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People sixteen years old or older who release balloons outdoors.
  • Government agencies and contractors working on scientific or meteorological projects.
  • Hot air balloon operators who recover their balloons after launch.

Terms To Know

Nonbiodegradable
Materials that do not break down naturally over time.
Photodegradable
Materials that break down when exposed to sunlight.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass and was stopped in committee.
  • It only applies to balloons released after July 1, 2026, if it were to become law.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-03 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/03 (H) Died In Committee

  2. 2026-01-13 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    01/13 (H) Referred To Judiciary A

Official Summary Text

Balloons; prohibit intentional releasing or discarding of.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
H. B. No. 638 *HR43/R296* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR43/R296
PAGE 1 (GT\KP)

To: Judiciary A
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Fondren

HOUSE BILL NO. 638

AN ACT TO PROHIBIT A PERSON SIXTEEN YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER 1
FROM INTENTIONALLY RELEASING OR DISCARDING, OR CAUSING TO BE 2
RELEASED OR DISCARDED OUTDOORS, ANY BALLOON MADE OF A 3
NONBIODEGRADABLE OR NONPHOTODEGRADABLE MATERIAL OR ANY MATERIAL 4
THAT REQUIRES MORE THAN FIVE MINUTES CONTACT WITH AIR OR WATER TO 5
DEGRADE; TO PROVIDE PENALTIES FOR A VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION; TO 6
PROVIDE CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS FOR BALLOONS RELEASED FOR SCIENTIFIC OR 7
METEOROLOGICAL PURPOSES BY ANY STATE OR FEDERAL AGENCY, OR AS PART 8
OF A CONTRACT WITH THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE UNITED STATES, OR 9
ANY OTHER STATE, TERRITORY, OR GOVERNMENT, OR HOT AIR BALLOONS 10
THAT ARE RECOVERED AFTER LAUNCH; TO DEFINE THE TERM "HOT AIR 11
BALLOON"; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 12
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 13
SECTION 1. (1) It is unlawful for any person sixteen (16) 14
years of age or older or other person to intentionally release, 15
discard, or cause to be released or discarded outdoors, any 16
balloon made of a nonbiodegradable or nonphotodegradable material 17
or any material that requires more than five (5) minutes contact 18
with air or water to degrade. 19
(2) Any person convicted of a violation of this section 20
shall be assessed a fine of Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00) per 21
balloon released or discarded, which shall be paid to the 22
Mississippi Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund, as provided for in 23
H. B. No. 638 *HR43/R296* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R296
PAGE 2 (GT\KP)
ST: Balloons; prohibit intentional releasing or
discarding of.
Section 49-39-7. If a person under the age of sixteen (16) 24
releases a balloon by arrangement with, or at the instruction of, 25
a person sixteen (16) years of age or older, such person who is 26
sixteen (16) years of age or older is liable for the fine assessed 27
in this subsection (2). 28
(3) The provisions of this section shall not apply to any 29
balloon released by, or on behalf of, any agency of the State of 30
Mississippi, or the United States, or under a contract with the 31
State of Mississippi, the United States, or any other state, 32
territory, or government for scientific or meteorological 33
purposes, or a hot air balloon that is recovered after launch. 34
(4) For purposes of this section, a "hot air balloon" is an 35
aircraft that floats in the sky, consisting of a large bag or 36
balloon filled with heated air or other gas, with a basket or 37
container hanging under it, or suspended beneath it, which carries 38
passengers and a source of heat. 39
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 40
and after July 1, 2026. 41