Amended in Senate June 2, 2015

Amended in Senate April 22, 2015

Amended in Senate April 7, 2015

Amended in Senate March 11, 2015

Senate BillNo. 170


Introduced by Senator Gaines

(Coauthor: Senator Anderson)

February 5, 2015


An act to addbegin delete Sections 4577 and 4578end deletebegin insert Section 4577end insert to the Penal Code, relating to unmanned aircraft systems.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SB 170, as amended, Gaines. Unmanned aircraft systems: correctional facilities.

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.

Existing state law generally prohibits a person from bringing, possessing, distributing, or selling certain devices and substances, including, among other things, alcoholic beverages, controlled substances, and deadly weapons, in state prison or a jail. Existing law also prohibits unauthorized communication with inmates in state prison or a jail. Existing law provides criminal penalties for violations of these provisions.

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This bill would make a person who uses an unmanned aircraft system, as defined, in violation of specified provisions, subject to a doubled fine, as specified, in addition to any other penalty provided by law. The bill would also require that the use of an unmanned aircraft system in violation of specified provisions be considered a factor in aggravation in sentencing for purposes of a felony conviction under those provisions.

end delete

This bill would make a person who knowingly and intentionally operates an unmanned aircraft system below the navigablebegin delete airspaceend deletebegin insert airspace, as those terms are defined,end insert overlaying a state prison or a jail guilty of a misdemeanor. The bill would make these misdemeanor provisions inapplicable to a person employed by the prison or jail acting within the scope of his or her employment, or a person who receives prior permission from the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation or the county sheriff. By creating new crimes, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

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

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

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P2    1

SECTION 1.  

Section 4577 is added to the Penal Code, to read:

2

4577.  

(a) (1) When a person uses an unmanned aircraft system
3to commit a felony violation of this chapter, the use of the
4unmanned aircraft system shall be considered a factor in
5aggravation in sentencing.

6(2) When a person uses an unmanned aircraft system to commit
7a violation of Section 4575 or 4576, the maximum or prescribed
8amounts of fines for offenses in those sections shall be doubled in
9addition to any other penalty provided by law.

10(3) This subdivision does not apply to a violation of Section
114578 or 4579.

12(b) For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply:

P3    1(1) “Unmanned aircraft” means an aircraft that is operated
2without the possibility of direct human intervention from within
3or on the aircraft.

4(2) “Unmanned aircraft system” means an unmanned aircraft
5and associated elements, including, but not limited to,
6communication links and the components that control the
7unmanned aircraft that are required for the pilot in command to
8operate safely and efficiently in the national airspace system.

end delete
9

begin deleteSEC. 2.end delete
10begin insertSECTION 1.end insert  

Sectionbegin delete 4578end deletebegin insert 4577end insert is added to the Penal Code,
11to read:

12

begin delete4578.end delete
13begin insert 4577.end insert  

(a) Except as provided in subdivisions (b) and (c), a
14person who knowingly and intentionally operates an unmanned
15aircraft system below the navigable airspace, as defined in Section
1642102 of Title 49 of the United States Code, overlaying a state
17prison or a jail is guilty of a misdemeanor.

18(b) This section does not apply to a person employed by the
19prison who operates the unmanned aircraft system within the scope
20of his or her employment, or a person who receives prior
21permission from the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
22to operate the unmanned aircraft system over the prison.

23(c) This section does not apply to a person employed by the jail
24who operates the unmanned aircraft system within the scope of
25his or her employment, or a person who receives prior permission
26from the county sheriff to operate the unmanned aircraft system
27over the jail.

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28(d) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:

end insert
begin insert

29(1) “Unmanned aircraft” means an aircraft that is operated
30without the possibility of direct human intervention from within
31or on the aircraft.

end insert
begin insert

32(2) “Unmanned aircraft system” means an unmanned aircraft
33and associated elements, including, but not limited to,
34communication links and the components that control the
35unmanned aircraft that are required for the pilot in command to
36operate safely and efficiently in the national airspace system.

end insert
37

begin deleteSEC. 3.end delete
38begin insertSEC. 2.end insert  

No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to
39Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because
40the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school
P4    1district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or
2infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty
3for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of
4the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within
5the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California
6Constitution.



O

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