California Balloon Law

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In 1990 the California State Legislature passed SB 1990, enacting a Balloon Law to regulate the sales and use of helium-filled foil balloons. The law was passed in an effort to reduce power outages due to metallized Mylar or foil balloons.

The balloon law prohibits the sale or distribution of a balloon that is constructed of electrically conductive material (metallized Mylar or foil) and filled with a gas lighter than air (helium), without affixing an object of sufficient weight to the balloon to counter the lift capability, affixing a specified warning statement on the balloon, and affixing a printed identification of the balloon's manufacturer.^{[citation needed]} The law also prohibits a person from selling or distributing a balloon filled with a gas lighter than air that is attached to an electrically conductive string, tether, streamer, or other electrically conductive appurtenance, or attached to another balloon, as specified.^{[citation needed]}

Existing law also prohibits a person or group from releasing outdoors balloons made of electrically conductive material (balloon release) and filled with a gas lighter than air at specified events. A violation of those provisions is an infraction or a misdemeanor, as specified.^{[citation needed]}

To be in accordance with the California Balloon Law and reduce electrical power outages, all retail shops that sell balloons should follow the guidelines below:

• Weight all helium-filled foil balloons
• Tie all ribbons to the weight so if they are released they will float away individually. Do not tie ribbons together before attaching to weight. Tie them to the weight with one knot each.
• Do not use metallic ribbon with helium-filled balloons

Although the law was put into effect in 1990, the issue of foil balloons being a hazard resurfaced in 2008. A senate bill was proposed to ban the sale of all foil balloons by the year 2010 due to the increased number of power outages.^{[citation needed]} The bill was California Senate Bill 1499.