Senate passes bill allowing limited drone use in eluding cases

Senator Costello, the senator from Mills, led debate and moved the final reading of Senate File 22 83, saying the measure authorizes law-enforcement use of unmanned aerial systems when a person is eluding officers and permits information gathered by that equipment to be used in court for that specific purpose. "When someone is eluding, the drone would be able to be used ... and information obtained from that drone can be used in court," Costello said in opening remarks.

The measure was moved for final reading and passage. The secretary read the bill title and the chamber proceeded to a roll-call vote. Several senators were excused until arrival during the roll call; the results recorded 42 yeas and 0 nays. The presiding officer declared the bill to have passed the Senate and the title was agreed to.

Supporters characterized the bill as a narrow, operational tool for officers in pursuit circumstances. Costello described it as "common sense" and emphasized the bill's limited scope to eluding incidents. No floor amendments were offered or adopted during the proceedings recorded in the transcript.

After passage, Senator Clemensch asked unanimous consent to immediately message Senate File 22 83 to the next step; hearing no objections, the request was ordered.

The Senate record shows the measure passed on a final reading by a 42-0 roll call; the transcript does not record subsequent action beyond the unanimous-consent messaging.