Ban Intentional Balloon Releases, Florida

On June 24, 2024, Governor Ron DeSantis signed HB321 Release of Balloons. This legislation effectively prohibits intentional balloon releases in Florida by repealing an existing provision in state law that allowed for the intentional release of up to ten helium-filled balloons per person per day, and reclassifying intentionally released balloons as litter, punishable by fine. 

Balloon litter poses a significant threat to Florida’s ocean, waves and beaches, and the communities and economies that depend on them. Balloons, and the strings and ribbon affixed to them, are one of the most deadly items for marine life, and the only items that can be legally littered without repercussion under state law.  With balloons among the most common items found on beaches during clean-ups, Surfrider’s network has helped pass more than 31 balloon laws nationwide, including in local communities in Florida. 

While local governments throughout the state have elected to ban balloon releases from their communities altogether, a pesky loophole in Florida statutes allowed individuals to release up to ten helium-filled balloons per day. This statute is confusing for members of the public and enforcement alike, and urgently needed to be clarified to ensure intentionally released balloons do not clog our beaches and waterways in the future. To prevent what goes up from coming back down to pollute where it lands, Surfrider and its partners statewide advocated to repeal the intentional balloon release provision, and ensure intentionally released balloons are subject to the same fines and penalties as other types of litter under Florida’s litter law. 

Surfrider’s Florida network supported HB321 / SB602 Release of Balloons, sponsored and championed by Representative Linda Chaney and Senator Nick DiCeglie. Building on momentum from advocacy during the 2023 legislative session and Florida Healthy Beaches Day, Surfrider’s 11 chapters and 8 clubs in Florida worked alongside state partners at Oceana, Ocean Conservancy, Sierra Club, and Sea Turtle Conservancy to advocate for this bill with members of the state legislature during the 2024 legislative session. 

Our network lobbied for this bill to be placed on committee agendas with committee chairs, supported the bill in committee, helped draft the bill and amendment language, advocated for the bill during the 2024 Florida Healthy Beaches Day, sent emails and made phone calls to legislators to support the bill, and worked diligently to support this bill from committee weeks to Governor’s desk. With the enactment of this law, Surfrider looks forward to finding fewer balloons on beaches during their regular clean-up events, and protecting Florida’s ocean from the impacts of balloons.