Proposed Federal Drone Laws Aired
After some time without any legislative action, two pieces of federal legislation are being floated. Most recently, on June 23, 2017 Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) introduced legislation that, in addition to providing modest funding for a number of drone-related initiatives, would essentially overturn the recent court decision that held the FAA exceeded its statutory authority when it required all recreational drone users to register their drones on an FAA website. The Warner legislation would allow for such registration activities to continue. You can find the text of the proposed legislation here.
Last month, Senator Feinstein floated a bill that would help clarify a key ambiguity in the state of Drone Law—namely the extent to which FAA regulations preempt state and local government from regulating drone use within their jurisdictions. While the FAA would continue to be able to propound regulations with preemptive effect over the safety and efficiency of the national air-space system, regulations would not preempt State or local government from regulating drone use to protect public safety, personal privacy, and property rights, as well as manage land use and restrict nuisance and noise pollution. If signed into law, this measure would make it much simpler for local government to regulate drone use, as well as make positive uses of drones for a host of governmental purposes. You can find the text of the proposed legislation here