Committee approves amendment giving security office limited authority to regulate drone activity around Capitol complex

Senator Gavan introduced SB 231 and an amendment to expand security authority over the new Capitol complex and related facilities, and the committee approved the bill as amended.

The amendment would create a framework of penalties that vary with the drone operator’s conduct and would let the named security office promulgate rules and establish a permitting process for authorized drone use around the Capitol Complex, the Governor’s Mansion and at some off-site legislative events. Senator Gavan said the change also recognizes existing FAA jurisdiction and was drafted to avoid improper preemption while giving the state office limited enforcement tools.

Alfie, who explained the amendment for the committee, said the amendment responds to “drone activity around our construction site” and describes graduated penalties for criminal uses, harassment of operations and unauthorized flights. According to Alfie, the amendment also authorizes the security office to adopt rules and permit appropriate uses "to hopefully cut out some of that inappropriate drone use that we're seeing."

Committee members offered the multi-page amendment, a motion and a second were recorded, and the committee approved SB 231 as amended on a voice vote.

The measure now moves to the next step in the legislative process with the amendment incorporated; the transcript records the committee’s approval but does not record detailed vote tallies or a floor sponsor for the amended bill.