Bill Text: TX SB1197 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the operation of an unmanned aircraft over a spaceport; creating a criminal offense.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2025-02-10 - Filed [SB1197 Detail]
Download: Texas-2025-SB1197-Introduced.html
| 89R2354 MCF-D | ||
| By: Birdwell | S.B. No. 1197 | |
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| relating to the operation of an unmanned aircraft over a spaceport; | ||
| creating a criminal offense. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. The heading to Section 42.15, Penal Code, is | ||
| amended to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 42.15. OPERATION OF UNMANNED AIRCRAFT OVER AIRPORT, | ||
| [ |
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| SECTION 2. Section 42.15(a), Penal Code, is amended by | ||
| adding Subdivision (3) to read as follows: | ||
| (3) "Spaceport" means any property or facility that | ||
| is: | ||
| (A) used for the launch, landing, or recovery of | ||
| spacecraft, as defined by Section 507.001, Local Government Code; | ||
| and | ||
| (B) licensed by the Federal Aviation | ||
| Administration or operated by a spaceport development corporation | ||
| under Chapter 507, Local Government Code. | ||
| SECTION 3. Sections 42.15(b) and (c), Penal Code, are | ||
| amended to read as follows: | ||
| (b) A person commits an offense if the person intentionally | ||
| or knowingly: | ||
| (1) operates an unmanned aircraft over an airport, | ||
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| (2) allows an unmanned aircraft to make contact with | ||
| an airport, [ |
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| person or object on the premises of or within the airport, [ |
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| military installation, or spaceport; or | ||
| (3) operates an unmanned aircraft in a manner that | ||
| interferes with the operations of or causes a disturbance to an | ||
| airport, [ |
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| (c) It is a defense to prosecution under this section that | ||
| the conduct described by Subsection (b) was engaged in by: | ||
| (1) the federal government, this state, or a | ||
| governmental entity; | ||
| (2) a person under contract with or otherwise acting | ||
| under the direction or on behalf of the federal government, this | ||
| state, or a governmental entity; | ||
| (3) a law enforcement agency; | ||
| (4) a person under contract with or otherwise acting | ||
| under the direction or on behalf of a law enforcement agency; | ||
| (5) an owner or operator of the airport, [ |
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| installation, or spaceport; | ||
| (6) a person under contract with or otherwise acting | ||
| under the direction or on behalf of an owner or operator of the | ||
| airport, [ |
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| (7) a person who has the prior written or electronic | ||
| authorization of: | ||
| (A) the owner or operator of the airport, [ |
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| military installation, or spaceport; or | ||
| (B) the Federal Aviation Administration; or | ||
| (8) the owner or occupant of the property on which the | ||
| airport, [ |
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| person who has the prior written consent of the owner or occupant of | ||
| that property. | ||
| SECTION 4. The change in law made by this Act applies only | ||
| to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. | ||
| An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is | ||
| governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, | ||
| and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For | ||
| purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the | ||
| effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred | ||
| before that date. | ||
| SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. | ||
