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2015 SESSION

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HB 2077 Drone aircraft; limitations on use, penalties.

Introduced by: C. Todd Gilbert | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Limitations on use of drone aircraft; penalties. Creates a Class 1 misdemeanor for the operation, manufacture, sale, or distribution of an unmanned aircraft system (drone) as a weapon or to deliver a weapon. The bill provides that no governmental agency or organization having jurisdiction over criminal or regulatory violations, including the Department of State Police, nor any local law-enforcement department, may procure a public unmanned aircraft system (drone aircraft) without the approval of the General Assembly or the local governing body, respectively. The bill requires a warrant for governmental use of such an aircraft. Law-enforcement officers and other public officials may operate a public unmanned aircraft system and disclose personal information from such operation under certain emergency situations without a warrant. The bill also provides that it is not unlawful for a public institution of higher education or other research organizations and institutions to operate a drone aircraft solely for research and development purposes. The bill contains extensive procedural guarantees against the release of personal information and establishes reporting requirements by agencies and courts with respect to use of and data collected by such aircraft. This bill was incorporated into HB 2125.


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