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LouisianaHB 8512026 Regular SessionHouse

ENVIRONMENT/LITTERING: Provides relative to intentional littering

Sponsored By: John R. Illg Jr. (Republican)

Became Law

Natural ResourcesNatural Resources and Environment

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Balloon release penalties come with clear limits

Louisiana law applies existing intentional-littering penalties to people who intentionally release a balloon. It also covers organizers of events with planned, intentional releases of 12 or more balloons. Multiple balloons intentionally released at one event, location, or time count as one violation. People under 17 are exempt, as are negligent or accidental releases and indoor releases. Balloons made of biodegradable or photobiodegradable material are exempt. Scientific or weather-related releases are exempt when made by or for government agencies, under government contracts, or by educational institutions. A balloon with a radio-tracking device is exempt when released by someone with a valid amateur radio operator license. Hot air balloons recovered after launch are exempt. Violations of this intentional-littering subsection must be cited within one year after law enforcement knew or reasonably should have known of the act.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • John R. Illg Jr.

    Republican • House

Cosponsors

  • Barbara Reich Freiberg

    Republican • House

  • Brett F. Geymann

    Republican • House

  • C. Travis Johnson

    Democratic • House

  • Dana Henry

    Democratic • House

  • Daryl Andrew Deshotel

    Republican • House

  • Jacob Jules Landry

    Republican • House

  • Jason Brian DeWitt

    Republican • House

  • Jessica Domangue

    Republican • House

  • Joseph A. Orgeron

    Republican • House

  • Kellee Hennessy Dickerson

    Republican • House

  • Kimberly Landry Coates

    Republican • House

  • Kyle M. Green Jr.

    Democratic • House

  • Mandie Landry

    Democratic • House

  • Michael Robert Bayham Jr.

    Republican • House

  • Neil Riser

    Republican • House

  • Pat Moore

    Democratic • House

  • Paul Sawyer

    Republican • House

  • Shane Mack

    Republican • House

  • Vincent E. Cox III

    Republican • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 120 • No: 8

Senate vote • 5/5/2026

Read by title, passed by a vote of 32 yeas and 2 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

Yes: 32 • No: 2

House vote • 3/31/2026

Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 88, nays 6. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

Yes: 88 • No: 6

Actions Timeline

  1. Becomes Act No. 196 without the Governor's signature.

    5/15/2026House

  2. Effective date: 08/01/2026.

    5/15/2026House

  3. Signed by the President of the Senate.

    5/7/2026Senate

  4. Sent to the Governor for executive approval.

    5/7/2026House

  5. Received from the Senate without amendments.

    5/6/2026House

  6. Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.

    5/6/2026House

  7. Read by title, passed by a vote of 32 yeas and 2 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

    5/5/2026Senate

  8. Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.

    4/21/2026Senate

  9. Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.

    4/20/2026Senate

  10. Reported favorably.

    4/15/2026Senate

  11. Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Natural Resources.

    4/7/2026Senate

  12. Received in the Senate. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.

    4/1/2026Senate

  13. Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 88, nays 6. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

    3/31/2026House

  14. Scheduled for floor debate on 03/31/2026.

    3/30/2026House

  15. Read by title, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.

    3/26/2026House

  16. Reported favorably (17-0-1).

    3/25/2026House

  17. Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Natural Resources and Environment.

    3/9/2026House

  18. Prefiled.

    2/27/2026House

  19. Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Natural Resources and Environment.

    2/27/2026House

  20. First appeared in the Interim Calendar on 2/27/2026.

    2/27/2026House

Bill Text

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