Committee passes bill restricting drones over ticketed events

The Technology and Infrastructure Innovation Committee on Tuesday approved House Bill 58, which would make it a misdemeanor to operate an unmanned aircraft within a 400-foot buffer of a ticketed entertainment event unless the operator has consent, an FAA authorization, or is performing official event work. Representative Richardson presented the bill and members voted to pass it.

Representative Richardson said the measure "is response to a glaring concern regarding operation of unmanned aircraft over certain gatherings of people." He told the committee the bill was developed with partners to address privacy and nuisance problems while avoiding preemption of federal aviation rules.

The bill defines a "ticketed entertainment event" to provide a clear geographic boundary for enforcement. Scott McGregor of Columbia County told the committee that limiting the rule to ticketed events helps reconcile state enforcement with existing FAA oversight: major professional sports and select events already have no-fly practices, but HB58 aims for a much narrower 400-foot zone to reduce conflicts with federal airspace rules.

Representative Medina pressed whether the ticketed/unticketed distinction would exclude large public gatherings such as marathons, citing the Publix Atlanta Marathon as an example of an unticketed event with many participants and spectators. Committee members replied that ticketed status creates provable boundaries that make prosecution and enforcement clearer.

A committee member moved to pass the bill; a second was recorded, members voted 'aye' and the motion carried. Committee members congratulated Representative Richardson after the vote.

The committee’s action sends HB58 forward; members said the bill was written to minimize FAA preemption concerns while giving local law enforcement a clearer enforcement path.