Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Drones Policy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee holds hearing on LC394575 to limit drones over ticketed mass gatherings
Summary
Lawmakers heard LC394575, a bill sponsored to give local hosts and law enforcement a way to restrict drone flights over ticketed, gated events; members raised enforcement, definition and preemption concerns and asked the sponsor to gather stakeholder feedback before the committee proceeds.
Representative Richardson introduced LC394575, telling the committee the bill "is to do with drones and public safety over mass gatherings," and that it would "give a path for law enforcement to have a way forward" to address drones that fly into ticketed events.
Several members questioned how the proposal would interact with federal airspace rules and existing local ordinances. A committee member noted that general aviation facilities governed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) can create exceptions for their airspace; the chair and sponsor said the bill sets a 400-foot ceiling and requires FAA‑certified equipment and operators in relevant sections. Secretary Earhart emphasized the central fact that ‘‘operators outside the venue flying into ticketed areas’’ are the principal concern.
Members pressed the sponsor on definitional edge cases: whether small toy drones or low‑altitude novelty devices would be captured, whether the bill should add a size or height carve‑out, and whether a safety radius should be specified to reduce gust‑driven incursions. Representative Tran asked for a safety radius to notify neighbors and reduce inadvertent incursions; the sponsor clarified that the bill’s 400-foot reference was intended as a ceiling rather than a ground radius.
Several lawmakers urged the sponsor to tighten language and supply incident data. Representative Beckles asked for prior‑incident counts and recommended defining surveillance capability in the bill; the sponsor and chair said stakeholders had already been consulted but that a simpler enforcement standard (a host‑posted ‘‘no drones’’ rule for a ticketed, gated area) could be more practical than proving specific camera equipment aloft.
After extended questioning on scope, enforcement and federal preemption, the chair asked Representative Richardson to collect follow‑up answers from members and stakeholders and said the committee would "hold this bill" and revisit it after the sponsor reports back — no vote was taken on LC394575 during this meeting.
Next steps: the sponsor was asked to gather additional stakeholder feedback and return with clarifying language by Wednesday or at a special meeting called by the chair.
