Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that authorizes police drone surveillance.

Highlights:

• Authorizes law enforcement agencies to use drone surveillance at large scale events if the surveillance is limited to safety and security measures, including, but not limited to (Sec. 5):

• Evaluating crowd size, density, or movement;

• Assessing public vulnerabilities or weaknesses;

• Determining appropriate staffing levels for law enforcement; or

• Identifying potential criminal activity.

• Defines a “large scale event” as a public or private event with an estimated crowd size of 100 individuals at its start (Sec. 5).

• Prohibits law enforcement agencies from equipping drones with tear gas canisters, stun gun technology, or any other dangerous weapon projectile (Sec. 5).

• Requires law enforcement agencies to submit a yearly report to local government authorities on the following, including, but not limited to (Sec. 5):

• The total number of drones the department owns;

• The number of times the law enforcement agency deployed drone surveillance, and;

• The location where the drone surveillance was deployed (Sec. 5).

Full Bill Text