SF 2283 (LSB 5112SV (2) 91)

SENATE FILE 2283

BY  COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

(SUCCESSOR TO SF 2105)

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to the use of unmanned aerial vehicles by law enforcement officers.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 321.492B, Code 2026, is amended to read as follows:
   321.492B  Use of unmanned aerial vehicle for traffic law enforcement prohibited.
   1.  The Except as provided in subsection 2, the state or a political subdivision of the state shall not use an unmanned aerial vehicle for traffic law enforcement.
   2.  A certified law enforcement officer, meeting the requirements of subsection 3, may operate an unmanned aerial vehicle in order to assist other law enforcement officers in apprehending a driver eluding or attempting to elude a pursuing law enforcement vehicle in violation of section 321.279, and may cite the driver for any traffic violations committed during the pursuit.
   3.  An operator of an unmanned aerial vehicle shall be certified under 14 C.F.R. pt. 107 or have a federal aviation administration certificate of authorization or other applicable federal certification or license. The unmanned aerial vehicle shall be registered with the federal aviation administration, and shall not enter controlled airspace or runway flight paths. Unmanned aerial vehicle operators shall adhere to applicable notices to airmen. An unmanned aerial vehicle operator who enters a controlled airspace or runway flight path, or who fails to adhere to applicable notices to airmen, assumes liability for any damages that occur as a result of the noncompliance.
    Sec. 2.  Section 808.15, Code 2026, is amended to read as follows:
   808.15  Unmanned aerial vehicle —— information —— admissibility.
   1.  Information Except as provided in subsection 2, information obtained as a result of the use of an unmanned aerial vehicle is not admissible as evidence in a criminal or civil proceeding, unless the information is obtained pursuant to the authority of a search warrant, or unless the information is otherwise obtained in a manner that is consistent with state and federal law.
   2.  Information obtained by a certified law enforcement officer operating an unmanned aerial vehicle in compliance with section 321.492B while assisting in the apprehension of a person who is eluding or attempting to elude a pursuing law enforcement vehicle, in violation of section 321.279, is admissible in a criminal prosecution of the person eluding or attempting to elude law enforcement.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill relates to the use of unmanned aerial vehicles by law enforcement officers.
   The bill provides that a certified law enforcement officer may operate an unmanned aerial vehicle in order to assist other law enforcement officers in apprehending a driver eluding or attempting to elude a pursuing law enforcement vehicle, and may cite the driver for any traffic violations committed during the pursuit.
   The bill provides that an operator of an unmanned aerial vehicle must be certified under 14 C.F.R. pt. 107 or have a federal aviation administration certificate of authorization or other applicable federal certification or license. The unmanned aerial vehicle must be registered with the federal aviation administration, and must not enter controlled airspace or runway flight paths. Unmanned aerial vehicle operators are required to adhere to applicable notices to airmen. An unmanned aerial vehicle operator who enters a controlled airspace or runway flight path, or who fails to adhere to applicable notices to airmen, assumes liability for any damages that occur as a result of the noncompliance.
   The bill provides that information obtained by a certified law enforcement officer operating an unmanned aerial vehicle in compliance with the bill while assisting in the apprehension of a person who is eluding or attempting to elude a pursuing law enforcement vehicle is admissible in a criminal prosecution of the person eluding or attempting to elude law enforcement.