Committee advances bill to curb unauthorized drone surveillance and creates civil remedy

Representative John Hodgson, the sponsor of House Bill 19, told the Outstanding Committee on Small Business and Information Technology that the bill would "establish basic protections for citizens from unauthorized surveillance via drone of their persons in real property and provide a path for injunctive relief and civil action." Hodgson introduced the bill during the committee's Feb. 2025 meeting.

Committee members adopted a substitute amendment described by the sponsor as a simplification of overly specific language in one section that previously singled out a utility or communications service and enumerated several distinct activities. "We just simplified that language and, simplified the language of who is subject to, civil action later in the bill," Hodgson said when describing the change.

The committee adopted the substitute on a motion by Representative Tate with a second from Representative Pfister. After debate concluded, Representative King moved to advance the bill and Representative Tate seconded; the committee conducted a roll-call vote and the chair announced, "House Bill 19 passes with favorable expression and same should on the house floor." The record in the transcript shows multiple members voting yes; the exact numerical tally was not specified in the committee record provided.

The substitute narrows the bill's wording to avoid unintentionally criminalizing routine activities by certain service providers, according to the sponsor's description. The measure now moves to the full Kentucky House for further consideration.