Aviation; prohibit operation of unmanned aircraft systems over a place of incarceration

The document format was updated to reflect a committee substitute version, including the addition of sponsor names and the removal of the committee's introductory statement.

The bill now amends the correctional institutions chapter in addition to the aviation chapter, creating a more comprehensive legal framework for drone restrictions at prisons and jails.

New definitions were added for 'inmate' and 'warden or superintendent' to clarify who is protected and who has authority under the new rules.

Law enforcement officers are now explicitly authorized to seize, destroy, or dispose of drones operating over prisons and to take reasonable mitigation measures against them.

Penalties for violating the drone ban were increased from a misdemeanor to a felony, with potential prison sentences ranging from one to ten years depending on the specific violation.

The bill now requires that prior authorization from a warden or superintendent can serve as evidence of non-criminal intent, though lack of such authorization does not prove criminal intent.