STATE OF NEW JERSEY
220th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2022 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman RONALD S. DANCER
District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
Permits public utilities and cable television companies to operate unmanned aircraft systems to inspect storm or other damage.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning the operation of unmanned aircraft systems by public utilities and cable television companies and supplementing Title 48 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The board shall adopt, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations permitting a public utility and cable television company to operate an unmanned aircraft system in this State for the inspection of damage, as the result of a storm or other event, to any public utility or cable television company property within this State, provided that the public utility and cable television company operate the unmanned aircraft system in a manner consistent with applicable federal law and regulations. Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect any federal preemption of State law governing aviation.
b. For purposes of this section:
"Cable television company" shall have the same meaning as provided in section 3 of P.L.1972, c.186 (C.48:5A-3);
"Operate" shall have the same meaning as provided in section 1 of P.L.2017, c.315 (C.2C:40-27);
"Public utility" shall have the same meaning as provided in R.S.48:2-13;
"Unmanned aircraft" shall have the same meaning as provided in section 1 of P.L.2017, c.315 (C.2C:40-27); and
"Unmanned aircraft system" shall have the same meaning as provided in section 1 of P.L.2017, c.315 (C.2C:40-27).
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill directs the Board of Public Utilities to adopt rules and regulations permitting public utilities (utilities) and cable television (CATV) companies to operate unmanned aircraft, commonly known as drones, in this State. The operation of the drones is to be for the inspection of damage, as the result of a storm or other event, to any utility or CATV company property within this State. The use of drones is to help facilitate the quick identification of damaged infrastructure to efficiently restore the associated service in a timely manner. The bill provides that the utilities and CATV companies are to operate the drones in a manner consistent with applicable federal law and regulations. Nothing in this bill is to be construed to affect federal preemption of State law governing aviation.