The bill creates the "Unmanned Aircraft Systems Rights and Authorities Act". The bill does the following:Authorizes an individual to operate an unmanned aircraft system (drone system) for recreational purposes in this state;Authorizes a person to operate a drone system for commercial purposes within this state if the business is lawful and the operation is in compliance with state and federal law;Prohibits the state or a political subdivision of the state (local government) from requiring the registration of an unmanned aircraft or a drone system beyond what may be required by state and federal law;Clarifies that the operation of a drone system in compliance with federal law does not, standing alone, give rise to legal liability;Establishes and limits the regulatory authority of the state; andEstablishes and limits the regulatory authority of a local government.In connection with establishing and limiting the regulatory authority of the state, the bill authorizes the state to regulate the use of drone systems owned by or used by the state or launching from or landing on state property. Exceptions to the state's regulatory authority are made for emergencies, maintenance, technical malfunctions, and law enforcement.In connection with establishing and limiting the regulatory authority of local governments, the bill prohibits a local government from regulating ownership, operation, design, manufacture, testing, maintenance, licensing, registration, certification, or equipment requirements or qualifications, training, or certification of a pilot, operator, or observer. A local government may regulate the use of drone systems owned by or used by the local government or launching from or landing on local government property. A local government's resolution or ordinance that is general in nature, such as a nuisance regulation, applies to a drone system.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
The bill establishes the "Surveillance Accountability and Freedom Ensured (SAFE) Act" (SAFE Act). On and after July 1, 2027, the SAFE Act requires a law enforcement agency to use surveillance technology only for lawful purposes directly related to public safety or for an active investigation.If a law enforcement agency uses surveillance technology to collect surveillance data, the law enforcement agency must comply with certain requirements related to the collection, storage, sharing, and destruction of the data.The law enforcement agency must ensure that:Facial recognition systems are only used after a warrant is obtained or in exigent circumstances when there is an imminent threat to public safety;Traffic cameras and automated license plate readers must only be used in public spaces and for specific enforcement purposes, such as traffic violations or identifying stolen vehicles; andDrone cameras are operated in compliance with federal aviation administration regulations.A law enforcement agency may store data collected by surveillance technology only for a specified amount of time depending on the type of technology used and how the data is collected or until an active investigation is concluded.A law enforcement agency shall not sell any data that is collected from its surveillance technologies, but the law enforcement agency may share the surveillance data with another law enforcement agency if the data is related to an active investigation and the other law enforcement agency agrees to comply with the requirements of the SAFE Act. A law enforcement agency must also ensure that surveillance data is permanently destroyed at the end of an applicable retention period or once the data is no longer needed for the matter. The bill creates civil penalties for violations of these provisions.The bill also requires a law enforcement agency to make certain information related to the law enforcement agency's compliance with the SAFE Act available to residents who request it at no cost to the resident.The bill requires the attorney general to conduct an audit of a law enforcement agency every 2 years and authorizes the attorney general to bring a civil action to enforce the SAFE Act.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
