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Heated testimony as House committee considers expanded law enforcement use of drones
Summary
Senate Bill 238A (dash‑11) would consolidate and expand authorized uses of unmanned aircraft systems by law enforcement for certain calls for service, exigent responses, search and rescue and other uses; witnesses debated privacy safeguards, warrant standards, documentation, and community trust.
The House Committee on Rules held a public hearing June 11 on Senate Bill 238A and its dash‑11 amendment, which would consolidate Oregon's statutory authorizations for law‑enforcement use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and add new limits, record‑keeping requirements and prohibitions on certain surveillance.
Why it matters: Supporters said the amended measure would modernize drone law, enabling faster situational awareness for officers, safer responses to violent incidents and improved search‑and‑rescue coordination in disasters. Opponents warned the bill risks expanding warrantless surveillance, chilling protected speech and disproportionately affecting immigrant, Black, brown and low‑income communities.
Summary of the bill and amendment: The dash‑11 amendment reorganizes existing authorizations in statute and adds explicit limits on use. Committee counsel…
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