California Legislature Sends Six Drone Bills to the Governor’s Desk
With the end of the legislative session, the California legislature sent the following six bills to the Governor’s desk:
Most of these bills criminalize non-compliance with the law and either create a new crime or expand the scope of an existing crime. Interestingly, just last year, the Governor vetoed a number of bills, including three drone related proposals, because the bills created a new crime and, the Governor observed, “[t]his multiplication and particularization of criminal behavior creates increasing complexity without commensurate benefit.” It seems the Legislature is sending the Governor a message that certain drone related conduct requires a criminal penalty and should be proscribed by the State.
Additionally, some of the bills sent to the Governor this year touch on similar concerns addressed by the Legislature last year, including impeding the work of emergency personnel. While it is unclear how the Governor will act on these proposals, it is evident that the Legislature is undeterred by the Governor’s rejection of past drone related legislative proposals.