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House Agriculture Committee advances bill to bar use of unmanned craft to harass livestock
Summary
The House Agriculture Committee voted to pass House Bill 1429 as amended, adding definitions and narrow surveillance exceptions to a measure that targets harassment of livestock using remote devices such as drones.
The House Agriculture Committee voted to give House Bill 1429 a do-pass recommendation as amended, advancing a measure that would make it unlawful to use remote devices to harass livestock.
Representative Holly, the bill’s sponsor, told the committee the amendments restore the bill’s original focus on harassment of animals. “This amendment kinda gets back to my intention of the bill, which is mostly when it pertains to harassment of livestock,” Holly said. The amended text clarifies definitions for “harass,” “livestock” and devices described as robots or drones, and narrows the scope of surveillance provisions so nonmalicious photography is not covered.
The committee discussed whether the word “unauthorized” should be added to the surveillance language. Representative Freiberg asked, “Would it make sense to put conduct unauthorized surveillance versus just surveillance?” Representative Olson argued the bill already contains an exception that applies when a person conducting surveillance has consent, and said adding the word might be redundant. After brief discussion the committee approved the amendment by voice vote.
Following the amendment, Representative Holt moved that the committee recommend do pass on House Bill 1429 as amended; Representative Tuite seconded. The clerk then called the roll; the record shows the committee approved the bill as amended (recorded as 13-0-1 on the committee roll). The committee asked for and confirmed a carrier for the bill on the floor.
What the bill does and why it matters: supporters said the bill targets remote devices being used to intentionally disturb or endanger livestock by clarifying that the device itself (a drone or similar unmanned craft) — not a phone carried on a person — is the focus. The amendment also seeks to avoid criminalizing routine or consensual photography and to exempt ordinary agricultural spraying operations.
Next steps: the committee report sends House Bill 1429 to the full House. Representative Anderson was named as the bill’s carrier to the floor.
