Relates to prohibiting civilian drone use within 1000 feet of a correctional facility except when in use under the Federal Aviation Administration's authorization.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
2660
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 22, 2021
___________
Introduced by Sens. RITCHIE, AKSHAR, 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 626
2 to read as follows:
3 § 626. 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.
LBD01030-01-1
