Status of Domestic Drone Legislation in the States
Updated 5/10/13
We’re currently seeing an unprecedented surge of activity in state legislatures across the country aimed at regulating domestic surveillance drones. (My colleagues Jay Stanley and Catherine Crump have this recent piece detailing the trend.) Working closely with our lobbyists in state capitols around the country, we have been tracking this activity and working hard to make sure these privacy-protective bills become law. The chart below shows the current status of state legislation as we understand it. We will update this as we receive new information.
With the exceptions noted below, almost all of the bills we’re seeing require law enforcement to get a probable cause warrant before using a drone in an investigation. If you see your state listed below (unless you live in Arizona), call your legislators and urge them to support privacy-protective drones legislation.
(See here for an analysis of the content of drone legislation throughout the nation.)
Legislation proposed in 41 states, enacted in 4 states, and still active in 32 states.
|
State |
Status |
Notes |
| Alabama | Passed Senate committee | |
| Alaska | Resolution adopted creating drone task force | Task force is to recommend drone policies and legislation |
| Arizona | Passed House committee | Only protects U.S. citizens & includes carve-outs for drug crimes & human smuggling. |
| Arkansas | Introduced | |
| California | Introduced | |
| Florida | Legislation enacted, goes into effect July 1, 2013. | |
| Georgia | Introduced | Resolutions honoring the aerospace/drones industry also passed in both houses. |
| Hawaii | Introduced | |
| Idaho | Legislation enacted, goes into effect July 1, 2013. | |
| Illinois | Passed Senate | |
| Indiana | “Study group” resolution passed Senate committee; bill introduced | |
| Iowa | Introduced | |
| Kansas | Introduced | |
| Kentucky | Introduced | |
| Maine | Introduced | |
| Maryland | Introduced | |
| Massachusetts | Introduced | |
| Michigan | Introduced | |
| Minnesota | Introduced | |
| Missouri | Passed House | |
| Montana | Legislation enacted, goes into effect Oct. 1, 2013 | |
| Nebraska | Introduced | |
| Nevada | Introduced | |
| New Hampshire | Dead for this year | Passed House committee; tabled in House. |
| New Jersey | Introduced | |
| New Mexico | Died in committee | |
| New York | Introduced | |
| North Carolina | Introduced | |
| North Dakota | Dead for this year | Passed House, defeated in Senate. |
| Oklahoma | Dead for this year | Bill held over until next session, replaced with call for interim study on drone privacy issues. |
| Oregon | Passed House committee | |
| Pennsylvania | Introduced | |
| Rhode Island | Introduced | |
| South Carolina | Introduced | |
| Tennessee | Bill on governor's desk | |
| Texas | Passed in House | |
| Vermont | Introduced | |
| Virginia | Legislation enacted, goes into effect July 1, 2013. | |
| Washington | Not brought up for full House vote before deadline, so dead for this session. | |
| West Virginia | Introduced | |
| Wyoming | Died in committee |
