South Carolina H 3047: Litter, balloons

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 3047 Text of Previous Version (Apr. 22, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 3047

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

Amended

April 22, 2026

H. 3047

Introduced 
by Reps. Moss, Haddon and Bauer 

S. Printed 4/22/26--H.

Read the first time January 14, 2025

________

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 
16-11-705 SO AS TO CREATE THE OFFENSE OF INTENTIONALLY RELEASING, ORGANIZING 
THE RELEASE OF, OR INTENTIONALLY CAUSING THE RELEASE OF BALLOONS INFLATED WITH 
GAS THAT IS LIGHTER THAN AIR, AND TO PROVIDE EXCEPTIONS; BY AMENDING SECTION 
16-11-700, RELATING TO THE DUMPING OF LITTER ON PRIVATE OR PUBLIC PROPERTY, 
EXCEPTIONS, AND PENALTIES, SO AS TO INCLUDE BALLOONS IN THE LITTER STATUTE; AND 
BY AMENDING SECTION 16-11-710, RELATING TO THE ACCEPTANCE OF A CASH BOND IN 
LIEU OF AN IMMEDIATE COURT APPEARANCE IN LITTER CONTROL PROSECUTIONS, SO AS TO 
INCLUDE A VIOLATION OF THE BALLOON STATUTE WHEN A CASH BOND IS ALLOWED.

 Amend Title To Conform

Be it enacted by the 
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Article 7, Chapter 11, Title 16 of the S.C. Code is 
amended by adding:

 Section 
16-11-705. (A) It is unlawful for a 
person to intentionally release, organize the release of, or intentionally 
cause to be released balloons inflated with a gas that is lighter than air with 
the following exceptions:

 (1) 
balloons released by a person on behalf of a governmental agency or pursuant to 
a governmental contract for scientific or meteorological purposes;

 (2) 
hot air balloons recovered after launching; or

 (3) 
balloons released indoors.

 (B) A 
violation of this section is subject to a civil fine of up to fifty dollars. 
The court, instead of payment of the monetary fine imposed for a violation of 
this section, may direct the substitution of additional litter-gathering labor 
or other form of community service. However, a person seventeen years of age or 
younger may not be charged with a violation of this section.

 (C) 
For purposes of this section, "person" means an individual, group of 
individuals, or organization.

SECTION 2. During 
the first one hundred eighty days after the effective date of this act, law 
enforcement officers shall only issue warnings for violations of this section.

SECTION 3. The 
repeal or amendment by this act of any law, whether temporary or permanent or 
civil or criminal, does not affect pending actions, rights, duties, or 
liabilities founded thereon, or alter, discharge, release or extinguish any 
penalty, forfeiture, or liability incurred under the repealed or amended law, 
unless the repealed or amended provision shall so expressly provide. After the 
effective date of this act, all laws repealed or amended by this act must be 
taken and treated as remaining in full force and effect for the purpose of 
sustaining any pending or vested right, civil action, special proceeding, 
criminal prosecution, or appeal existing as of the effective date of this act, 
and for the enforcement of rights, duties, penalties, forfeitures, and liabilities 
as they stood under the repealed or amended laws.

SECTION 4. This act takes effect on July 1, 
2027.

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This web page was last updated on April 22, 2026 at 07:14 PM