LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Releasing mylar balloons outside is now illegal in the City of Las Vegas.
On Wednesday, the Las Vegas City Council voted 4-3 to approve an ordinance that would make it illegal to "intentionally release, organize the release, or allow the release of a balloon inflated with a gas that is lighter than air."
For the first violation, code enforcement officers would issue a warning and the second offense would be a $250 fine. For any subsequent violation in the same year, offenders would face a $500 fine.
Mayor Carolyn Goodman, Mayor Pro Tem Brian Knudsen, and Councilwoman Victoria Seaman all voted against the ordinance saying it would cause additional issues.
For example, Knudsen said there aren't enough code enforcement officers to enforce this ordinance and city dollars are already stretched thin trying to remove trash across the valley
"Some of the examples I gave to the recommending committee is enough resources to handle the challenges that we already have. We're experiencing enormous amounts of trash and debris. We have staff that are going out. We have Bobcats being dropped into drainage ditches to pick up tons of trash, put in dump trucks, and taken to the landfill. That's an enormous cost to the City of Las Vegas, picking up other people's trash, and we have not been able to keep up with it," Knudsen said. "As priorities shift and as resources become available, our code officers can go out and respond. However, they can't keep up as it is right now. What this would require is someone to see it, call the code enforcement officer, and have them get there before the balloons float away, which we can't keep up with the amount of calls that we have now."
According to city staff, there are about 20 code enforcement officers on staff.
Goodman said adding another law on the books doesn't make sense if it can't be enforced.
"We don't have the personnel to go checking balloons everywhere," Goodman said. "I agree with the intent of this but look at it overall, from the perspective of the city, I think the word needs to get out to the public. Think about what you're doing. But when you look at the dollars and law enforcement and security ... if you don't enforce something, then you don't have it."
Councilwoman Olivia Diaz, Councilwoman Francis Allen-Palenske, Councilman Cedric Crear, and Councilwoman Nancy Brune all voted for the ordinance.
Brune said balloons can pose serious risks to power infrastructure and cause major problems.
"According to NV Energy, there have been 400 power outages over the last four years. Dozens of them were caused by balloons being entangled in power lines. Just last month, a balloon caused a power outage in North Las Vegas where 12,000 people lost power in their homes. This has a significant impact on residents," Brune said. "It's become clear the unintended consequences have become too significant to overlook. We know that our electrical grid becomes especially taxed during the summer months. We can't risk a power outage caused by helium-filled balloons."
WATCH: What happens when mylar balloons contact power lines
Brune also pointed out that Las Vegas and Nevada aren't the first locations to implement laws like this, citing Connecticut, Florida, and Hawaii have all passed similar measures.
Anthony Ruiz, NV Energy's Government Relations Manager, also spoke in favor of the ordinance. He said the company helped Nevada lawmakers pass Assembly Bill 321 into law during the 2023 legislative session.
The law has laid out certain requirements and restrictions for foil balloons that are sold or manufactured in Nevada.
According to the ordinance that was passed on Wednesday, there are a few exceptions for balloons that can be released.
- A balloon released for scientific or meteorological purposes, on behalf of a governmental agency or pursuant to a governmental contract
- A hot air balloon that is recovered after launching
- A balloon to which is affixed an object of sufficient weight to counter the lift capability of the balloon
- A balloon that is released and remains indoors
- Any release of balloons as part of an event held on September 11 to honor first responders lost in the line of duty on Sept. 11, 2001
