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Committee approves balloon‑littering change, raises enforcement and cultural concerns
Summary
A Judiciary subcommittee reported HB3047 favorably as amended to add helium and other lighter‑than‑air balloons to the littering statute and to change an age exemption from 6 to 17; members voiced enforcement and cultural concerns, including impacts on funeral and celebratory releases.
A House Judiciary subcommittee voted to report House Bill 3047 favorably as amended, adopting a change to South Carolina's littering law that would add gas‑filled balloons to the definition of litter and raise the age exemption in the statute from 6 to 17.
Mister Johnson, explaining the bill authored by Representative Moss, said the change responds to incidents in which mylar or other balloons fouled waterways and caused outages by entangling with utility equipment. "There has been a problem with balloons. They're gotten into the waterways," Johnson said, citing an episode in North Myrtle Beach in which transformers were affected.
Members pressed Johnson on enforcement and proof of intent. "How are you gonna know whose balloon it is?" Miss Bernstein asked, noting the difficulty law enforcement often faces proving ownership or intent in litter prosecutions. Johnson answered that such challenges are common to litter enforcement and depend on fact‑specific investigations.
Several members warned the bill could chill customary ceremonial uses. Representative Govan and another member who identified himself as a funeral director said families often release balloons at memorial services; Govan said he would not support the bill for that reason. Miss Landing and others said the measure felt heavy‑handed given routine celebratory uses by families and children.
Despite concerns, committee members voted to send the bill to the floor. The roll call on HB3047 as amended was recorded in the transcript as 12 in favor, 5 opposed, and 8 not voting; the committee reported the bill favorably as amended. Members said Representative Moss plans to present the bill on the House floor, where members expect fuller debate and opportunities for additional clarifying language or exceptions.
