HB 638

AN ACT TO PROHIBIT A PERSON SIXTEEN YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER FROM INTENTIONALLY RELEASING OR DISCARDING, OR CAUSING TO BE RELEASED OR DISCARDED OUTDOORS, ANY BALLOON MADE OF A NONBIODEGRADABLE OR NONPHOTODEGRADABLE MATERIAL OR ANY MATERIAL THAT REQUIRES MORE THAN FIVE MINUTES CONTACT WITH AIR OR WATER TO DEGRADE; TO PROVIDE PENALTIES FOR A VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION; TO PROVIDE CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS FOR BALLOONS RELEASED FOR SCIENTIFIC OR METEOROLOGICAL PURPOSES BY ANY STATE OR FEDERAL AGENCY, OR AS PART OF A CONTRACT WITH THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE UNITED STATES, OR ANY OTHER STATE, TERRITORY, OR GOVERNMENT, OR HOT AIR BALLOONS THAT ARE RECOVERED AFTER LAUNCH; TO DEFINE THE TERM "HOT AIR BALLOON"; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.