An Act To Protect Maine Residents from Stalking and Unauthorized Surveillance by Use of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (AFTER DEADLINE)
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 2144
Committee: Criminal Justice and Public Safety
Sponsors: ANDREWS, MORIARTY, BELLOWS, BEEBE-CENTER, MOONEN, PICKETT, TERRY, WARREN, GUERIN
Amends: 17-A MRSA §210-A, 17-A MRSA §511

Legislative Document
No. 2144
H.P. 1533
House of Representatives, March 10, 2020
An Act To Protect Maine Residents from Stalking and 
Unauthorized Surveillance by Use of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
(AFTER DEADLINE)
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
205.
Reference to the Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety suggested and ordered 
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative ANDREWS of Paris.
Cosponsored by Representative MORIARTY of Cumberland, Senator BELLOWS of 
Kennebec and Representatives: BEEBE-CENTER of Rockland, McLEAN of Gorham, 
MOONEN of Portland, PICKETT of Dixfield, TERRY of Gorham, WARREN of Hallowell, 
Senators: GUERIN of Penobscot, SANBORN, L. of Cumberland.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  17-A MRSA §210-A, sub-§2, ¶A, as amended by PL 2007, c. 685, §1, is 
further amended to read:
A.  "Course of conduct" means 2 or more acts, including but not limited to acts in 
which the actor, by any action, method, device or means, including use of an 
unmanned aerial vehicle, directly or indirectly follows, monitors, tracks, observes, 
surveils, threatens, harasses or communicates to or about a person or interferes with a 
person’s property. "Course of conduct" also includes, but is not limited to, threats 
implied by conduct and gaining unauthorized access to personal, medical, financial or 
other identifying or confidential information.
Sec. 2.  17-A MRSA §210-A, sub-§2, ¶F is enacted to read:
F.  "Unmanned aerial vehicle" means an aircraft operated without a physical human 
presence within or on the aircraft.
Sec. 3.  17-A MRSA §511, sub-§1, ¶C, as amended by PL 1997, c. 467, §1, is 
further amended to read:
C.  Installs or uses outside a private place without the consent of the person or 
persons entitled to privacy therein, any device for hearing, recording, amplifying or 
broadcasting sounds originating in that place that would not ordinarily be audible or 
comprehensible outside that place; or
Sec. 4.  17-A MRSA §511, sub-§1, ¶D, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 467, §1, is 
amended to read:
D.  Engages in visual surveillance in a public place by means of mechanical or 
electronic equipment with the intent to observe or photograph, or record, amplify or 
broadcast an image of any portion of the body of another person present in that place 
when that portion of the body is in fact concealed from public view under clothing 
and a reasonable person would expect it to be safe from surveillance.; or
Sec. 5.  17-A MRSA §511, sub-§1, ¶E is enacted to read:
E.  Outside a private place, uses an unmanned aerial vehicle flying at an altitude of 
less than 400 feet above the private place or its curtilage at any time without the 
written permission of the resident or owner of the private place.
Sec. 6.  17-A MRSA §511, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2007, c. 688, §2, is 
repealed and the following enacted in its place:
2.  As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms 
have the following meanings.
A.  "Device" includes an unmanned aerial vehicle.
B.  "Private place" means a place where one may reasonably expect to be safe from 
surveillance, including, but not limited to, the interior of one's home, changing or 
dressing rooms, bathrooms and similar places.
C.  "Unmanned aerial vehicle" has the same meaning as in Title 25, section 4501, 
subsection 2, paragraph B.
SUMMARY
This bill adds the use of unmanned aerial vehicles, also known as drones, to the laws 
governing stalking in the Maine Criminal Code.  With respect to the Class D crime of 
violation of privacy, it provides that the crime can be committed through the use of an 
unmanned aerial vehicle and adds a provision that prohibits a person from intentionally 
using outside a private place an unmanned aerial vehicle flying at an altitude of less than 
feet above the private place or its curtilage at any time without the written permission 
of the resident or owner of the private place.