House Ag Committee advances bill to ban harassment of livestock by drones, adds surveillance exemptions

The House Agriculture Committee on Wednesday voted to give House Bill 14-29 a do-pass recommendation after adopting amendments that expand the bill’s harassment provisions to cover remote devices such as drones and similar technology.

Sponsor Representative Holly, speaking to the committee, said the amendments refine the bill’s intent "mostly when it pertains to harassment of livestock" and broaden the language to capture technology that is not physically with an operator — for example, a drone or remote device she described as a "robot." She told committee members the change was designed to address devices that an operator controls while the device itself is at a distance.

A central change adopted in committee narrows the bill’s scope to behaviors that rise to harassment of animals and clarifies an exception for non-malicious surveillance. Representative Freiberg asked whether the language should refer explicitly to "unauthorized surveillance" rather than simply "surveillance," saying it would better capture the privacy concern when activity targets another individual on private property. Representative Olson noted that the bill already contains an exception elsewhere that applies when surveillance occurs with a property owner's consent and suggested the extra wording could be redundant.

Committee members adopted the amendments and then approved a do-pass recommendation. Representative Holt moved the do-pass recommendation on HB 14-29 as amended; Representative Tuite seconded. The clerk recorded the committee vote as 13-0-1 in favor of the do-pass recommendation.

The amended bill clarifies definitions for harassment and livestock and explicitly covers remotely operated devices; it also includes carve-outs meant to avoid capturing routine agricultural or pest-control operations. Representative Holly told the committee she worked with Legislative Council to exclude common uses such as a phone in an operator’s hand and to ensure applicators and other legitimate activities would not be penalized.

The committee did not take additional amendments after the roll call. With the committee’s favorable recommendation, HB 14-29 will move toward the full House for further consideration.