Final update to this chart 1/22/14. Status of 2014 legislation is available here [2].

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 [3] 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 [4] 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 [5]for an analysis of the content of drone legislation throughout the nation.)

Legislation proposed in 43 states and enacted in 9 states. 

(Update: The 2013 state legislative sessions have drawn to a close. This chart represents a snapshot of the 2013 state legislative action on drones. Many of the bills listed below have been 'carried over' into 2014, and the work to legislate privacy protections for law enforcement use of drones continues. Stay tuned.)

State	Status	Notes
Alabama	Passed Senate committee; legislature adjourned without further action
Alaska	Resolution [6]adopted creating drone task force; legislature adjourned without further action	Task force is to recommend drone policies and legislation
Arizona	Passed House; legislature adjourned without further action
Arkansas	Legislature adjourned without taking up proposed legislation
California	Bill introduced; legislature adjourned without further action
Florida	Legislation [7]enacted, goes into effect July 1, 2013.
Georgia	Bill introduced; legislature adjourned without further action	Resolutions honoring the aerospace/drones industry also passed in both houses.
Hawaii	Bill introduced; legislature adjourned without further action
Idaho	Legislation [8] enacted, goes into effect July 1, 2013
Illinois	Legislation [9]enacted, goes into effect Jan. 1 2014
Indiana	“Study group” resolution passed Senate committee; bill introduced; legislature adjourned without further action
Iowa	Bill introduced; legislature adjourned without further action
Kansas	Bill introduced; legislature adjourned without further action
Kentucky	Bill introduced; legislature adjourned without further action, but interim study hearing on drones held Aug. 21.
Maine	Passed both chambers, VETOED by governor
Maryland	Bill introduced; legislature adjourned without further action
Massachusetts	Introduced
Michigan	Introduced
Minnesota	Bill introduced; legislature adjourned without further action
Missouri	Passed House; legislature adjourned without further action
Montana	Legislation [10] enacted, goes into effect Oct. 1, 2013
Nebraska	Bill introduced; legislature adjourned without further action
Nevada	Bill introduced; legislature adjourned without further action
New Hampshire	Dead for this year	Passed House committee; tabled in House.
New Jersey	Passed Senate; passed committee in Assembly	Pocket vetoed (governor did not sign the bill before the deadline)
New Mexico	Died in committee
New York	Introduced
North Carolina	Two-year moratorium enacted [11] (PDF, p. 41).
North Dakota	Dead for this year	Passed House, defeated in Senate.
Ohio	Introduced
Oklahoma	Dead for this year	Bill held over [12]until next session; interim study hearing on drone privacy issues to be held Sept. 26
Oregon	Legislation [13]enacted
Pennsylvania	Introduced
Rhode Island	Bill introduced; legislature adjourned without further action
South Carolina	Passed House Committee; legislature adjourned without further action
Tennessee	Legislation [14]enacted, goes into effect July 1
Texas	Legislation [15]enacted, goes into effect Sept. 1
Vermont	Bill introduced; legislature adjourned without further action
Virginia	Legislation [16] enacted, goes into effect July 1, 2013.
Washington	Not brought up for full House vote before deadline, so dead for this session.
West Virginia	Bill introduced; legislature adjourned without further action
Wisconsin	Introduced	Legislature adjourned but legislation will carry over into 2014.
Wyoming	Died in committee