SAFE DRONE Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-3669
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Garamendi, John [D-CA-3]
Introduced: 2015-10-01
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Aviation and airports

Fires

Transportation safety and security
Latest action: action_date: 2015-11-03
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.

Summaries:
action_date: 2015-10-01
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Safety for Airports and Firefighters by Ensuring Drones Refrain from Obstructing Necessary Equipment Act of 2015 or the SAFE DRONE Act of 2015</b></p> <p>This bill amends the federal criminal code to make it a crime to knowingly operate a drone in a restricted area. A "restricted area" is an area that is:</p> <ul> <li>within a two-mile radius of a hub airport or an ongoing firefighting operation, or</li> <li>subject to a temporary flight restriction issued by the Federal Aviation Administration. </li> </ul> <p>The prohibition does not apply to government operations in response to a fire or emergency.</p> <p>Violators are subject to fines, up to one year in prison, or both. <br /> </p>

tv_txt: I 114th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3669 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 1, 2015 Mr. Garamendi (for himself, Mr. Huffman , Mr. Lowenthal , Mr. Sherman , Mr. Thompson of California , Ms. Lofgren , Mr. Farr , Ms. Roybal-Allard , Mrs. Kirkpatrick , Mr. Meeks , and Ms. Norton ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide a criminal penalty for operating drones in certain locations, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Safety for Airports and Firefighters by Ensuring Drones Refrain from Obstructing Necessary Equipment Act of 2015 or the SAFE DRONE Act of 2015 . 2. Criminal penalty for operating drones in certain locations (a) In general Chapter 2 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: 40A. Operating drones in certain locations (a) Offense Whoever knowingly operates a drone in a restricted area shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both. (b) Exception Subsection (a) shall not apply to operations conducted for purposes of firefighting or emergency response by a Federal, State, or local unit of government (including any individual conducting such operations pursuant to a contract or other agreement entered into with the unit). (c) Definitions In this section— (1) the term drone means an unmanned aircraft, as that term is defined in section 331 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 ( 49 U.S.C. 40101 note); (2) the term restricted area means— (A) within a 2-mile radius of a small hub airport, medium hub airport, or large hub airport; (B) within 2 miles of the outermost perimeter of an ongoing firefighting operation involving the Department of Agriculture or the Department of the Interior; or (C) in an area that is subject to a temporary flight restriction issued by the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration; and (3) the terms small hub airport , medium hub airport , and large hub airport have the meanings given those terms in section 47102 of title 49. . (b) Clerical amendment The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 2 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new item: 40A. Operating drones in certain locations. .