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HB2592 • 2025

Adds intentionally releasing a balloon into the airspace of this state as conduct punishable as the crime of offensive littering.

Adds intentionally releasing a balloon into the airspace of this state as conduct punishable as the crime of offensive littering.

Crime
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Judiciary,
Last action
2025-06-27
Official status
In House Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Adds intentionally releasing a balloon into the airspace of this state as conduct punishable as the crime of offensive littering.

Digest: This Act makes it a crime to intentionally release a balloon into the airspace of this state.

What This Bill Does

  • Digest: This Act makes it a crime to intentionally release a balloon into the airspace of this state.
  • (Flesch Readability Score: 65.1).
  • Adds intentionally releasing a balloon into the airspace of this state as conduct punishable as the crime of offensive littering.
  • Punishes by a maximum of 30 days' imprisonment, a $1,250 fine, or both.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2025-06-27 House

    In committee upon adjournment.

  2. 2025-01-17 House

    Referred to Judiciary with subsequent referral to Ways and Means.

  3. 2025-01-13 House

    First reading. Referred to Speaker's desk.

Official Summary Text

Digest: This Act makes it a crime to intentionally release a balloon into the airspace of this state. (Flesch Readability Score: 65.1).
Adds intentionally releasing a balloon into the airspace of this state as conduct punishable as the crime of offensive littering.
Punishes by a maximum of 30 days' imprisonment, a $1,250 fine, or both.
Relating to: Relating to balloon releases.
Current location: In House Committee

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
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83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2025 Regular Session
House Bill 2592
Sponsored by Representative HUDSON (Presession filed.)
SUMMARY
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject
to consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor’s brief statement of the essential features of the
measure as introduced. The statement includes a measure digest written in compliance with applicable readability
standards.
Digest: This Act makes it a crime to intentionally release a balloon into the airspace of this
state. (Flesch Readability Score: 65.1).
Adds intentionally releasing a balloon into the airspace of this state as conduct punishable as
the crime of offensive littering.
Punishes by a maximum of 30 days’ imprisonment, a $1,250 fine, or both.
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to balloon releases; amending ORS 164.805.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1.
ORS 164.805 is amended to read:
164.805. (1) A person commits the crime of offensive littering if the person creates an
objectionable stench or degrades the beauty or appearance of property or detracts from the natural
cleanliness or safety of property by intentionally:
(a) Discarding or depositing any rubbish, trash, garbage, debris or other refuse upon the land
of another without permission of the owner, or upon any public way or in or upon any public
transportationfacility[ ;].
(b) Draining, or causing or permitting to be drained, sewage or the drainage from a cesspool,
septic tank, recreational or camping vehicle waste holding tank or other contaminated source, upon
the land of another without permission of the owner, or upon any public way[ ; or ].
(c) Permitting any rubbish, trash, garbage, debris or other refuse to be thrown from a vehicle
that the person is operating. This [ subsection] paragraph does not apply to a person operating a
vehicle transporting passengers for hire subject to regulation by the Department of Transportation
or a person operating a school bus described under ORS 801.460.
(d) Releasing a balloon filled with helium, or another substance that allows the balloon
to remain airborne, into the airspace of this state, except for:
(A) Balloons released by a person on behalf of a governmental agency;
(B) Balloons released pursuant to a governmental contract for scientific or
meteorological purposes; or
(C) Hot air balloons that are recovered after launching.
(2) As used in this section:
(a) “Public transportation facility” has the meaning given that term in ORS 164.365.
(b) “Public way” includes, but is not limited to, roads, streets, alleys, lanes, trails, beaches, parks
and all recreational facilities operated by the state, a county or a local municipality for use by the
general public.
(3) Offensive littering is a Class C misdemeanor.
NOTE: Matter in boldfaced type in an amended section is new; matter [ italic and bracketed] is existing law to be omitted.
New sections are in boldfaced type.
LC 110
HB 2592
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