CaliforniaImpeding emergency response 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 imposes liability for physical invasion of privacy on a person if the person knowingly enters onto the land or into the airspace above the land of another person without permission or otherwise commits a trespass in order to capture any image or recording of the other person engaging in a private activity and the invasion occurs in a manner that is offensive to a reasonable person.
More detail
This bill would prohibit a person from operating or using an unmanned aerial vehicle, remote piloted aircraft, or drone at the scene of an emergency and thereby impeding firefighters, peace officers, medical personnel, military personnel, or other emergency personnel in the performance of their fire suppression, law enforcement, or emergency response duties, unless the person has a federal operational waiver, as specified. 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
- 2025
- Aug 29In committee: Held under submission.Latest
- Aug 18In committee: Referred to suspense file.Minor
- Vote recorded Placed on suspense file. Result: pass.Upper
- Jul 9From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (July 8). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Jul 8
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 18Referred to Com. on JUD.Minor
- Jun 9In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.Minor
- Jun 5Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 76. Noes 0. Page 2105.)Passed Assembly
- Vote recorded AB 426 Dixon Assembly Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- May 27Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- May 23From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (May 23).Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 30In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.Minor
- Apr 22From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 8From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (April 7). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.Minor
- Apr 7
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary]. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 3Re-referred to Com. on E.M.Minor
- Apr 2From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on E.M. Read second time and amended.Major
- Mar 17Referred to Coms. on E.M and JUD.Minor
- Feb 6From printer. May be heard in committee March 8.
- Feb 5Read first time. To print.Introduced