House Judiciary hears bill to raise penalties for drones that interfere with wildfire response

The House Committee on Judiciary opened a public hearing April 22 on Senate Bill 1125A, a measure that would raise criminal penalties for people who use unmanned aircraft systems to interfere with emergency response and wildfire-suppression operations.

State Sen. Floyd Prezonski, the bill sponsor, told the committee the measure seeks to “enhance penalties for individuals that are flying drones in areas where there is a wildfire suppression attempt,” and to distinguish sanctions based on intent and the seriousness of outcomes. “If it unfortunately results in some type of death, it should be at the higher level,” Prezonski said.

The bill language described during the hearing would make interference that knowingly, intentionally or recklessly causes death or serious physical injury…