Amended in Assembly February 12, 2015

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly BillNo. 14


Introduced by Assembly Member Waldron

begin insert

(Coauthor: Assembly Member Maienschein)

end insert

December 1, 2014


An act to add and repeal Title 24 (commencing with Section 110050) of the Government Code, relating to unmanned aircraftbegin insert systemsend insert.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 14, as amended, Waldron. Unmanned aircraftbegin insert systemsend insert: task force.

Existing federal law, the Federal Aviation Administration Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, provides for the integration of civil unmanned aircraft systems, commonly known as drones, into the national airspace system by September 30, 2015. Existing federal law requires the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to develop and implement operational and certification requirements for the operation of public unmanned aircraft systems in the national airspace system by December 31, 2015.

This bill would create the Unmanned Aircraftbegin insert Systemsend insert Task Forcebegin insert, comprised of 10 members, as providedend insert. The begin insertbill would require the end inserttask forcebegin delete would be responsible for formulatingend deletebegin insert to research, develop, and formulateend insert a comprehensivebegin delete planend deletebegin insert policyend insert forbegin delete state regulation ofend delete unmanned aircraftbegin insert systemsend insert. The task force would be required to submit, among other things, abegin delete comprehensiveend delete policy draft and suggested legislation pertaining to unmanned aircraftbegin insert systemsend insert to the Legislature and the Governorbegin insert throughout the term of the task force,end insert on or before January 1, 2018. The bill would provide that these provisions are repealed on January 1, 2022.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

P2    1

SECTION 1.  

Title 24 (commencing with Section 110050) is
2added to the Government Code, to read:

3 

4Title 24.  Unmanned Aircraftbegin insert Systemsend insert Task
5Force

6

 

7

110050.  

(a) The Legislature finds and declares that there is a
8need for California to have in place a comprehensive policy for
9the operation of unmanned aircraftbegin insert systemsend insert, and a desire to work
10begin insert with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the development
11of andend insert
within the guidelines of thebegin delete Federal Aviation Administration
12(FAA)end delete
begin insert FAAend insert as they are put in place.

13(b) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this title that
14begin deletethe end deletebegin inserta end inserttask forcebegin insert beend insert createdbegin delete by this act formulateend deletebegin insert to advise the
15Governor and the Legislature in formulatingend insert
a comprehensive
16begin delete planend deletebegin insert policyend insert for the state regarding unmanned aircraftbegin insert systems,
17including, but not limited to, commenting on FAA policy
18development, and anticipating and recognizing California’s unique
19needs for high technology, aerospace, commercial, agricultural
20and public safety usesend insert
.

21

110051.  

(a) There is hereby created the Unmanned Aircraft
22begin insert Systemsend insert Task Force which shall operate for two years, until January
231, 2018.

24(b) The task force shallbegin insert take all actions necessary to research,
25develop, andend insert
formulate a comprehensivebegin delete planend deletebegin insert policyend insert for begin deletestate
26regulation of end delete
unmanned aircraftbegin insert systemsend insert,begin insert to promote aviation,
27aerospace, agricultural, public safety and technology industry
28uses throughout the state, through the commercialization of
29aviation, aerospace, and technology products and ideas,end insert
including,
30but not limited to, all of the following:

31(1) begin deleteReviewing end deletebegin insertReview end insertregulations and guidance from the FAA
32regarding unmanned aircraftbegin insert systemsend insert andbegin delete incorporatingend deletebegin insert incorporateend insert
33 them into a state policybegin delete draft.end deletebegin insert draft and advise the Governor and
34the Legislature on an on-going basis regarding FAA policy
35development, task force activities, and public comment regarding
P3    1the development of the FAA guidelines to coincide with the needs
2of California.end insert

3(2) begin deleteProviding end deletebegin insertProvide end insertwritten recommendations, together with
4suggested legislation, for a comprehensive state policy for
5unmanned aircraftbegin insert systemsend insert that begin delete protects privacy andend delete allows the use
6of unmanned aircraftbegin insert systemsend insert for public and private applications.

begin delete

7(3) Evaluating complaints and concerns that are expressed to
8the task force regarding the use of unmanned aircraft.

end delete
begin delete

9(4) Studying the private use of unmanned aircraft to encourage
10development of the unmanned aircraft industry in the private sector.

end delete
begin insert

11 (3) Study the private use of unmanned aircraft systems to
12encourage development of the unmanned aircraft systems industry
13in the private sector.

end insert
begin insert

14(4) Evaluate complaints and concerns that are expressed to the
15task force regarding the use of unmanned aircraft systems.

end insert

16(5) begin deleteStudying end deletebegin insertStudy end insertandbegin delete makingend deletebegin insert makeend insert recommendations with
17respect to ensuring that unmanned aircraftbegin insert systemsend insert users comply
18with applicable laws, andbegin delete assessingend deletebegin insert assessend insert implementation plans
19and results.

begin insert

20(6) Encourage communication and resource sharing among
21individuals and organizations involved in the aviation, aerospace,
22agriculture, government, and technology industry, including
23business, the military, and academia.

end insert
24

110052.  

(a) Any written recommendations, suggested
25legislation, or other drafts or documents required to be prepared
26pursuant to Section 110051 shall be submitted to the Legislature
27and the Governorbegin insert throughout the term of the task force,end insert on or
28before January 1, 2018.

29(b) The materials described in subdivision (a) shall be submitted
30in compliance with Section 9795.

31

110053.  

The task force shall consist of 10 members, as follows,
32who shall serve a two-year term:

33(a) The Adjutant General of the Military Department, or his or
34her designee, shall be an ex officio member of the task force.

35(b) Three members appointed by the Governor:

36(1) A member representing the California University System.

37(2) A member representing agriculture.

38(3) A member from the Governor’s economic development
39group.

P4    1(c) Three members appointed by the Senate Committee on
2Rules:

3(1) A member representing the aerospace industry.

4(2) A member representing the Academy of Model Aeronautics.

5(3) A member representing law enforcement.

6(d) Three members appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly:

7(1) A member representing business and industry.

8(2) Two public members who have participated in the unmanned
9aircraftbegin insert systemend insert industry and who have experience operating
10unmanned aircraftbegin insert systemsend insert.

11

110054.  

(a) The task force may meet as frequently as necessary
12to carry out its responsibilities.

13(b) The members of the task force shall serve without
14compensation, but shall receive a per diem of one hundred dollars
15($100) and reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses
16incurred in connection with the performance of their duties.

17

110055.  

The task force may appoint an executive director, who
18may employ staff upon approval by the task force.

19

110056.  

The task force shall be funded by an appropriation in
20the annual Budget Act.

21

110097.  

This title shall remain in effect only until January 1,
222022, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute,
23that is enacted before January 1, 2022, deletes or extends that date.



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