N.H. House: releasing helium balloons littering

[Ian David]

CONCORD, N.H. -- The House voted Wednesday to make intentionally releasing lighter-than-air balloons subject to the state's littering law and a $250 fine.

The House voted 215-111 to send the bill to the Senate.



Windham Republican Kevin Waterhouse said the balloons pose a threat to wildlife that eat them or become entangled in the string.

<snip>

"When they land in your yard, they are a nuisance, but in the ocean they look like jellyfish and are prime food for turtles," he said. When wildlife eat them, they suffer and die, he said.

<snip>

The bill does not penalize accidental releases. Weather and hot air balloons are exempted. A first offense is punishable by a $250 fine. Subsequent offenses carry a $500 fine.

More:
http://www3.whdh.com/news/articles/local/BO46706/

[SoxFan]

1. Well-intentioned, but....

I understand the sentiment and the ecological rationale behind this bill, but I don't know how anyone can effectively enforce it. I guess a mass release of baloons is out of the question, but what happens when a kid lets a balloon go on purpose...is that intentiona;?

I just hope this doesn't turn into another one of NH's backdoor revenue generators.

[Tesha]

2. The point is *PRECISELY* to ban mass-releases.

Nobody's going to go after a kid who can't hold
onto their carnival balloon.

Tesha

[SoxFan]

3. Let's hope you are right.

I would hope people would use common sense, but I've seen too many bureaucrats who go off the deep end.

For example, the NH State Liquor Commission has remarkably detailed rules covering everything, including the size of the letters on an advertising banner. I know of businesses who have been slapped with a $500 fine because the "B" in Budweiser was .25" too big. As Dave Barry would say, I'm not making this up.

[cbmanchester]

4. Give them an inch one day

And they haul your kid off the next. Law enforcement gets the leeway to make that call. Don't these events require permits? Why not just deny the permit based on existing littering laws?

[mkz77655]

6. couldn't agree more

[BroccoliTowel]

5. well yeah

the point isn't to enforce it on any one individual releasing one baloon. The point is to have the option to enforce it against someone releasing a ton of baloons irrespnsibly.

Just because a law sounds oppressive/onerous/piddling doesn't mean it actually is - one main aspect of laws is that they do not have to be enforced; it's something everyone understands when passing laws. Hell, in my town in one are people drink in public and no one cares, but the law is there to use against them if they start acting out of line.