Bill Text: NY S00694 | 2025-2026 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relates to prohibiting civilian drone use within 1000 feet of a correctional facility except when in use under the Federal Aviation Administration's authorization.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 3-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2025-01-08 - REFERRED TO CRIME VICTIMS, CRIME AND CORRECTION [S00694 Detail]

Download: New_York-2025-S00694-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                           694

                               2025-2026 Regular Sessions

                    IN SENATE

                                       (Prefiled)

                                     January 8, 2025
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by Sens. GALLIVAN, HELMING, O'MARA -- read twice and ordered
          printed, and when printed to be committed to the  Committee  on  Crime
          Victims, Crime and Correction

        AN  ACT  to  amend the correction law, in relation to civilian drone use
          near a correctional facility

          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section  1.  The correction law is amended by adding a new section 608
     2  to read as follows:
     3    § 608. Drone use around correctional facilities. 1. No  person,  in  a
     4  private  capacity,  shall  operate a drone within one thousand feet of a
     5  correctional facility or local correctional facility in this state.
     6    2. As used in this section:
     7    "Drone" means a powered or unpowered aerial vehicle or a balloon float
     8  or other device that:
     9    (a) does not carry a human operator;
    10    (b) uses aerodynamic forces or gases to provide lift;
    11    (c) can fly autonomously or be piloted remotely;
    12    (d) can be expendable or recoverable;
    13    (e) captures images of objects or people on the ground and in the air;
    14    (f) intercepts communications on the ground and in the air; and/or
    15    (g) can carry a lethal or non-lethal payload.
    16    3. A violation of this section shall result in a civil penalty of  one
    17  thousand dollars for the first offense and a misdemeanor for each subse-
    18  quent offense.
    19    4.  This  section  shall  not apply to the operation of a drone by any
    20  person or entity that the federal aviation administration has authorized
    21  to operate a drone for a commercial purpose, where the drone is operated
    22  in a manner that complies with that authorization.
    23    § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD00243-01-5