Each week during the 2024 state sessions, this newsletter will provide updates on the legislative actions taking place in statehouses across the country.
About Drone Prepared and AAM Prepared: AUVSI’s Prepared initiatives work to proactively help states and localities prepare for the benefits that uncrewed and autonomous flight will bring to their communities.
- By the numbers: This week, there were five new relevant measures introduced, eleven with committee activity, and seven scheduled for committee hearings next week.
- What’s next: As February begins, we see states moving towards the middle of their sessions, meaning more committee/floor activity and fewer new bills being introduced.
- Arizona Senate Bill 1500 – Prohibits the purchase of UAS and Lidar from Countries of Concern.
- California Assembly Bill 1969 – Includes UAS in the meaning of agriculture equipment for the Clean Off-Road Equipment Voucher Incentive Program (CORE).
- California Assembly Bill 2014 – For the purpose of transfer of DOD surplus to state and local agencies, amends the definition of military equipment to be weaponized unmanned aerial and ground vehicles, instead of just unmanned aerial and ground vehicles.
- Oklahoma Senate Bill 1912 – Modifies language to include vertiports as municipally owned air facilities; allows for the creation of a statewide plan to provide the framework for the development of vertiports and other AAM infrastructure.
- West Virginia Senate Bill 580 – Prohibits a law enforcement officer from searching private lands without a warrant, including through a UAS.
- Florida Senate Bill 2500 – This measure passed the Senate Appropriations committee. It clarifies that the unexpended money from the 2023-2024 drone replacement grant program is assigned for the same purpose in 2024-2025.
- Florida Senate Bill 2502 – This measure passed the Senate Appropriations Committee. It amends the drone replacement grant program to include fire service providers, ambulance crews, and other first responders. Changes the replacement value from current value to replacement costs.
- Hawaii Senate Bill 2801 – This measure was amended and passed the Senate Committee on Economic Development, Environment, and Technology. It establishes the aerospace and aeronautics development program.
- Iowa House File 572 – This measure passed the Senate Natural Resources and Environment Subcommittee. It prohibits the flight of an RPA over a secure farmstead area, with commercial and agricultural use exemptions.
- Iowa House File 2180 – This measure passed the House Natural Resources Subcommittee. It allows the retrieval of a wounded deer through a UAS.
- Maryland House Bill 303 – This measure was heard in the House Judiciary Committee on January 30th. It prohibits a unit of the State from conducting persistent aerial surveillance to gather evidence in a criminal investigation unless certain circumstances are met.
- New Hampshire Senate Bill 460 – This measure was heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee. It applies penalties to certain UAS operations.
- Tennesse House Bill 1620 – This measure passed the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee. It removes the July 1, 2024, termination date for Chapter 462 of the Public Acts of 2021, allowing a law enforcement agency to continue to use a drone to search for and collect evidence or obtain information with the consent of a private property owner, in case of a natural emergency, or to investigate a crime that is occurring or has occurred
- Tennesse Senate Bill 1645 – This measure passed the Senate Judiciary Committee. It is the companion to the above.
- Utah Senate Bill 135 – This measure was amended and passed the Senate Transportation, Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology Committee. It clarifies that the funds from UAS registration fees may only be used of related infrastructure; includes public user vertiports in definition of airport, allows a highway authority to lease the navigable airspace above a highway; prohibits the purchase of drones from a covered foreign entity.
- Utah House Bill 142 – This measure was amended and passed the Senate Transportation, Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology Committee. It allows a public transit district to use UAS to examine public transit facilities, and state and federal agencies to use UAS over critical infrastructure.
- Florida Senate Bill 1032 – This measure is scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Transportation Committee on February 6th. It requires the long-range transportation plan to include AAM and autonomous/electric vehicles.
- Florida House Bill 1301 – This measure is scheduled for a hearing on February 5th in the House Infrastructure and Tourism Appropriations Subcommittee. It creates a grant program for funding to develop and establish vertiports.
- Florida House Bill 981 – This measure is scheduled for a hearing on February 5th in the Infrastructure and Tourism Appropriations Subcommittee. It defines terms and requires a report on the status of AAM.
- Florida House Bill 1425 – This measure is scheduled for a hearing on February 5th in the Justice Appropriations Subcommittee. It applies critical infrastructure UAS restrictions to moderate-risk residential facilities.
- Florida Senate Bill 1532 – This measure is scheduled for a hearing on February 6th in the Senate Community Affairs Committee. It applies the new definition of “dam” to critical infrastructure restrictions for UAS.
- Maryland Senate Bill 273 – This measure is scheduled to be heard in the Senate Judiciary Proceedings Committee on February 6th. It prohibits the intentional photography or image capture of a correctional facility and the delivery of contraband through a UAS.
- Tennesse House Bill 1620 – This measure is scheduled for a hearing in the House Criminal Justice Committee on February 6th. It removes the July 1, 2024, termination date for Chapter 462 of the Public Acts of 2021, allowing a law enforcement agency to continue to use a drone to search for and collect evidence or obtain information with the consent of a private property owner, in case of a natural emergency, or to investigate a crime that is occurring or has occurred.
New Hampshire Senate Bill 460
- What we’re tracking: This measure is a restrictive policy that would criminalize and penalize numerous UAS operations. It conflicts with state and federal law and runs afoul of preemption.
- Our engagement: AUVSI submitted opposition testimony on the measure.
Utah Drone Operation Working Group
- What’s new: The Drone Prepared team participated in the Utah Drone Operations Working Group this week, where we spoke with the Utah Department of Aviation about many topics.
- Why it matters: This include the mandate from the legislature that they come up with a structure for drone and potentially AAM registration. We suggested that there could be a registration with no or minimal costs as users are not asking for state sponsored infrastructure right now. We also discussed how the state is working to have ground-based radar and other infrastructure that would attract users to the state for testing and expansion of existing use cases.
- Arizona House Introduction Deadline
- Indiana House Crossover Deadline
- Maryland Senate Introduction Deadline
- Oregon Convenes
- Indiana Senate Crossover Deadline
- Alabama Convenes
- Kansas Introduction Deadline
- Maryland House Introduction Deadline
Elizabeth Sila is Manager, Government Affairs at AUVSI.
It's inspiring to see advocates like you pushing for innovation while considering the balance with legislation. As Henry Ford once said, "Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success." ???? In the spirit of harnessing technology for a sustainable future, we're thrilled to announce an opportunity for sponsorship in the Guinness World Record of Tree Planting, a venture that marries technology with environmental stewardship. Find out more here: https://bit.ly/TreeGuinnessWorldRecord ???? Let's continue making strides in harmonizing technology with our environmental ambitions!
UAS Chairman for the Mountain Rescue Association (MRA), UAS Team Coordinator Weber County Search and Rescue, B737 Captain at Alaska Airlines, nutrition and human physiology addict.
1 年Let’s also include no longer attacking Public Safety agencies by lobbying to limit our access to the most capable drones. AUVSI has completely lost touch with reality and the community they claim to serve. AUVSI is actively hurting the US sUAS industry making us all less safe by choosing politics and money over doing what’s right and ethical.
CEO of Global Tech ? HLS | Defense | Automotive | Connecting StartUps & Fortune. Ask about our ????-??-???? Solutions (Biz Dev as A Service)
1 年?? Great update on the legislative actions happening across statehouses! It's fascinating to see the progress being made in various states regarding UAS and AAM. ??? Exciting highlights this week with new measures introduced, committee activity, and upcoming hearings. Stay engaged and keep up the great work! ?????????
At 1-800.com, LLC, we specialize in FAA Certified sUAV (Drone) Services.
1 年Just a FYI...AUVSI supports a ban on all Chinese manufactured dtones. So, if you have a DJI or Autel unit, for example, they want to ban their use in the USA!