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Committee adopts amendment making drone interference with emergency response a felony
Summary
House Rules adopted the A2 amendment to Senate Bill 1125A, increasing penalties for knowingly or recklessly using unmanned aircraft to interfere with firefighting, law enforcement, or other emergency-response efforts and sending the amended bill to the floor with a due-pass recommendation.
The House Committee on Rules voted June 25 to adopt the A2 amendment to Senate Bill 1125A, which raises criminal penalties for knowingly, intentionally, or recklessly causing an unmanned aircraft system (drone) to interfere with wildfire suppression, law enforcement, or emergency-response operations.
Tisha (committee staff) summarized the amendment: under the A2 language, recklessly causing interference is a Class B misdemeanor (escalating to a Class A misdemeanor on subsequent offenses); knowingly or intentionally causing interference is a Class C felony; and knowingly, intentionally or recklessly causing death or serious physical injury by such interference is a Class A felony. The bill also reconciles provisions from related legislation addressing drone interference and emergency-response safety.
Vice Chair Pham moved to adopt the A2 amendment. The committee conducted a roll call and the motion passed; the committee then voted to send SB 1125A, as amended, to the House floor with a due-pass recommendation. Committee staff recorded that Representative Court Boyce will carry the bill on the floor.
The committee record notes the amendment and accompanying fiscal analysis describe a minimal fiscal and revenue impact. No substantive policy changes beyond the penalty structure were recorded during the work session.
