DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of the law
or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 608 Original 2025 Regular Session Coates
Abstract: Creates the "Louisiana Atmospheric Protection Act" to prohibit weather modification
activities, provides oversight and enforcement, and creates penalties.
Proposed law creates the "Louisiana Atmospheric Protection Act" and provides definitions for "Air
National Guard", "artificial intelligence", "atmospheric activity", "cloud-seeding", "entity",
"geoengineering", "hazard", "intervention", "machine learning", "physical agent", "pollutant",
"pollution", "release", "sheriff", "solar radiation modification", "State Guard", "waste", "weather
engineering", and "weather modification".
Proposed law prohibits the government or armed forces from violating the provisions of proposed
law and authorized state police or sheriffs to enforce it.
Proposed law provides that if government or armed forces projects are being performed that are
prohibited by proposed law, notice must be provided to the entity by La. state police or law
enforcement officer that the project is unlawful and to refer the entity to the La. National Guard or
State Guard if needed.
Proposed law provides penalties for any entity or individual who engages in a polluting atmospheric
intervention or any entity or individual who uses an unmarked or unidentified aircraft or other
vehicle or facility to carry out solar radiation modification, stratospheric aerosol injection,
geoengineering, weather modification, cloud-seeding, or any other polluting atmospheric
intervention.
Proposed law requires a law enforcement officer issue a cease and desist order if he reasonably
suspects a violation of proposed law has occurred.
Proposed law provides penalties for violations of proposed law of:
(1)For a first violation, the offender will receive a mandatory cease and desist order and an
optional fine of up to $1,000 or a six month prison sentence or both.
(2)For a second or subsequent violation, the offender will receive a fine of at least $500,000 or
up to two years in prison or both.
Proposed law creates the "Atmospheric Protection Fund" and provides for all fines collected under
proposed law to be deposited into the fund. Proposed law provides that each day a violation of proposed law occurs, it is considered a separate
violation and that prosecution under proposed law cannot be used as a defense against any other
provision of present law.
Present law declares the state's rights to utilize the moisture contained in the clouds and atmosphere
within the state boundaries and prohibits anyone from engaging in weather modification without
obtaining a permit from the commissioner of the La. Dept. of Agriculture and Forestry.
Proposed law repeals present law.
Present law defines "weather modification" and "commissioner" as used in present law.
Proposed law repeals present law.
Present law provides for the licensing qualifications and evaluations, fees, and penalties for engaging
in weather modification.
Proposed law repeals present law.
(Adds R.S. 30:2591-2596; Repeals R.S. 37:2201-2208)