Senate File 2157 - Introduced SENATE FILE 2157 BY SCHNEIDER A BILL FOR An Act regulating the use of drones and unmanned aircraft, and 1 providing penalties. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 5715XS (3) 85 jm/rj

S.F. 2157 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 801C.1 Definitions. 1 As used in this chapter unless the context otherwise 2 requires: 3 1. “Drone” means any powered aerial vehicle that does not 4 carry a human operator, uses aerodynamic forces to provide 5 vehicle lift, can fly autonomously or be piloted remotely, 6 can be expendable or recoverable, and can carry a lethal or 7 nonlethal payload. 8 2. “Unmanned aircraft” means an aircraft that is operated 9 without the possibility of direct human intervention from 10 within or on the aircraft. 11 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION . 801C.2 Restrictions on gathering 12 evidence. 13 1. A person, as defined in section 4.1, shall not use a 14 drone or other unmanned aircraft to gather evidence or other 15 information pertaining to criminal conduct, or conduct in 16 violation of a statute, ordinance, regulation, or rule, except 17 to the extent authorized by a warrant. 18 2. A person, entity, or state agency shall not use a 19 drone or other unmanned aircraft to conduct surveillance of 20 any person, property owned by any other person, or a farm or 21 agricultural operation without the consent of the other person, 22 property owner, or farm or agricultural operation owner. 23 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION . 801C.3 Exigent circumstances. 24 Notwithstanding section 801C.2, a law enforcement agency 25 may use a drone or other unmanned aircraft when exigent 26 circumstances exist. For the purposes of this section, exigent 27 circumstances exist if a law enforcement agency possesses 28 reasonable suspicion that, under particular circumstances, 29 swift action to prevent imminent danger to life is necessary. 30 Sec. 4. NEW SECTION . 801C.4 Remedies. 31 1. In a civil action an aggrieved party may obtain all 32 appropriate relief to prevent or remedy a violation of this 33 chapter. 34 2. Any information obtained or collected in violation of 35 -1- LSB 5715XS (3) 85 jm/rj 1/ 3

S.F. 2157 this chapter shall not be admissible as evidence in a criminal, 1 civil, or administrative proceeding. 2 EXPLANATION 3 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 4 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 5 This bill regulates the use of drones and unmanned aircraft. 6 The bill defines “drone” to mean any powered unmanned 7 aircraft that does not carry a human operator, uses aerodynamic 8 forces to provide vehicle lift, can fly autonomously or 9 be piloted remotely, can be expendable or recoverable, and 10 can carry a lethal or nonlethal payload. The bill defines 11 “unmanned aircraft” to mean an aircraft that is operated 12 without the possibility of direct human intervention from 13 within or on the aircraft. 14 The bill specifies that a person, as defined in Code section 15 4.1, shall not use a drone or other unmanned aircraft to gather 16 evidence or other information pertaining to criminal conduct, 17 or other conduct that violates the law, except to the extent 18 authorized by a warrant. 19 The bill further specifies that a person, entity, or state 20 agency shall not use a drone or other unmanned aircraft to 21 conduct surveillance of another, property owned by another, or 22 a farm or agricultural operation without the consent of the 23 other person, property owner, or farm or agricultural operation 24 owner. 25 A law enforcement agency may use a drone or other unmanned 26 aircraft when exigent circumstances exist. Under the bill, 27 exigent circumstances exist if a law enforcement agency 28 possesses reasonable suspicion that, under particular 29 circumstances, swift action to prevent imminent danger to life 30 is necessary. 31 The bill provides that any aggrieved party may obtain all 32 appropriate relief to prevent or remedy a violation of the bill 33 through a civil action. 34 The bill also specifies that any information obtained or 35 -2- LSB 5715XS (3) 85 jm/rj 2/ 3

S.F. 2157 collected in violation of the bill shall not be admissible as 1 evidence in a criminal, civil, or administrative proceeding. 2 -3- LSB 5715XS (3) 85 jm/rj 3/ 3