CaliforniaInterfering with wildfire suppression and emergency responses with drone.
What it does
Existing law makes it a crime for a person to operate or use an unmanned aerial vehicle, remote-piloted aircraft, or drone at the scene of an emergency for the purpose of viewing the scene or emergency or military personnel, and thereby impede the emergency or military personnel, in the performance of their duties in coping with the emergency. Existing law excuses a local public entity or public employee from liability for damage to an unmanned aircraft or unmanned aircraft system, if the damage was caused while the local public entity or public employee of a local public entity was providing, and the unmanned aircraft or unmanned aircraft system was interfering with, the operation, support, or enabling of any emergency service, as specified. Existing law makes everyone responsible for an injury occasioned to another by their want of ordinary care or skill in the management of their property or person, as provided.
More detail
This bill would prohibit a person from operating or using an unmanned aerial vehicle, remote-piloted aircraft, or drone to knowingly or recklessly interfere with, among other things, a wildfire suppression or law enforcement or emergency response efforts related to a wildfire suppression. The bill would authorize the Attorney General or a county counsel or city attorney to bring civil action to enforce the prohibition and authorize a prevailing plaintiff to recover civil penalties, injunctive relief, or reasonable attorney's fees and costs, as specified.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Sep 29Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 762, Statutes of 2026.Latest
- Sep 29Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Aug 28Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3:30 p.m.To Governor
- Aug 24Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 76. Noes 0. Page 6402.).Major
- Vote recorded AB 1749 Dixon Concurrence in Senate Amendments. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 20In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
- Vote recorded Special Consent. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 20Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 5589.).Passed Senate
- Aug 18Ordered to special consent calendar.
- Aug 13Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 13From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 13).Minor
- Aug 3In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Vote recorded Placed on suspense file. Result: pass.Upper
- Jul 1From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (June 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Jun 30
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 24From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (June 23). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.Minor
- Jun 23
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary]. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 17From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on E.M.Major
- Jun 10Referred to Coms. on E.M. and JUD.Minor
- May 28In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.Minor
- May 27Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 77. Noes 0. Page 5447.)Passed Assembly
- Vote recorded AB 1749 Dixon Assembly Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- May 18Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- May 14From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 14).Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 29In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Apr 15From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (April 14). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Apr 14
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 3In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
- Mar 24From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (March 23). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.Minor
- Mar 23Re-referred to Com. on E.M.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 19From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on E.M. Read second time and amended.Major
- Mar 3Re-referred to Com. on E.M.Minor
- Mar 2From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on E.M. Read second time and amended.Major
- Feb 23Referred to Coms. on E.M and JUD.Minor
- Feb 10From printer. May be heard in committee March 12.
- Feb 9Read first time. To print.Introduced