Revision: Dec. 3, 2019, 11:50 a.m.
HB 1580-FN - AS INTRODUCED
2020 SESSION
20-2228
04/05
HOUSE BILL 1580-FN
AN ACT regulating the use of drones.
SPONSORS: Rep. McGuire, Merr. 29; Rep. Schamberg, Merr. 4; Rep. Steven Smith, Sull. 11; Sen. Reagan, Dist 17
COMMITTEE: Executive Departments and Administration
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ANALYSIS
This bill regulates the use of drones by government agencies and individuals. This bill establishes criminal penalties and civil remedies for violations of the law.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
20-2228
04/05
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty
AN ACT regulating the use of drones.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Chapter; Drones. Amend RSA by inserting after chapter 422-C the following new chapter:
CHAPTER 422-D
DRONES
422-D:1 Definitions. In this chapter:
I. “Airspace” means the space above the ground in New Hampshire.
II. “Drone” means a powered, aerial vehicle, that:
(a) Does not carry a human operator;
(b) Uses aerodynamic forces to provide vehicle lift;
(c) Can fly autonomously or be piloted remotely; and
(d) May be expendable or recoverable.
III. “Government” means the federal government, the state government and any political subdivisions thereof, and state and municipal agencies and departments, including employees and agents.
IV. “Image” means a record, including a photograph, of thermal, infrared, ultraviolet, visible light, or other electromagnetic waves; sound waves; odors; or other physical phenomena which captures conditions existing on or about real property or an individual located on that property.
V. “Imaging device” means a mechanical, digital, or electronic viewing device; still camera; camcorder; motion picture camera; or any other instrument, equipment, or format capable of recording, storing, or transmitting an image.
VI. “Individual” means a living human being.
VII. “Information” means any evidence, images, sounds, or data gathered by a drone.
VIII. “Law enforcement agency” means a lawfully established state, county, or municipal agency that is responsible for the prevention and detection of crime, local government code enforcement, and the enforcement of the criminal laws.
IX. “Law enforcement officer” means a duly sworn employee of a law enforcement agency who is invested with the power of arrest or the detection of crime.
X. “Person” means individuals, partnerships, limited liability companies, corporations, and any other organizations, including for-profit and not-for-profit entities, but excluding government.
XI. “Surveillance” means the willful act of tracking or following, while photographing, taking images of, listening to, or making a recording of: (a) a recognizable individual or a group of individuals, including their movements, activities, or communications, or (b) motor vehicles identifiable by their license plates. The term does not include such activities by a person on real estate in which such person has a legal interest.
422-D:2 Government Use of Drones Limited; Exceptions.
I. Except as provided in paragraph II or III:
(a) No government shall use a drone, or obtain, receive, use, or retain information acquired by or through a drone, to engage in surveillance, to acquire evidence, or to enforce laws; and
(b) No government shall use a drone equipped with an imaging device to record an image of an identifiable individual on privately-owned real property in violation of such individual’s reasonable expectation of privacy without his or her consent. For purposes of this subparagraph, an individual is presumed to have a reasonable expectation of privacy on privately-owned real property if he or she is not observable by individuals located at ground level in a public place where they have a legal right to be, regardless of whether he or she is observable from the air.
II.(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph I, a government may use a drone, or obtain, receive, use or retain information acquired by or through a drone, for law enforcement purposes under the following conditions only:
(1) If surveillance is undertaken, with the prior consent of the person who is the subject of surveillance and the owner or lessee of the property which is the subject of the surveillance.
(2) If a government first obtains a search warrant signed by a judge and based on probable cause or the use of a drone is pursuant to a legally-recognized exception to the warrant requirement. A search warrant authorizing the use of a drone shall specify the period for which operation of the drone is authorized, which period shall not exceed 10 days unless subsequently renewed by a judge.
(3) If a government possesses reasonable suspicion that, under particular circumstances, swift action is needed to prevent imminent harm to life or serious damage to property, or to forestall the imminent escape of a suspect, or the destruction of evidence, or to assist in locating missing, abducted, or lost individuals or hunters or hikers, or to rescue persons in natural disasters, injured persons, or persons in need of medical assistance.
(4) To counter a high risk of a terrorist attack or incident by a specific individual or organization which the United States Department of Homeland Security determines that credible intelligence indicates that there is such a risk.
(5) To increase situational awareness in understanding the nature, scale, and scope of an incident which has occurred and for planning and coordinating an effective and legal response, provided the incident is limited geographically and in time.
(6) To support the tactical deployment of law enforcement personnel and equipment in emergency situations.
(7) To document a specific crime scene, traffic crash scene, or other major incident scene, such as a disaster caused by natural or human activity, provided such documentation is conducted in a geographically confined and time-limited manner.
(8) For purposes of training law enforcement officers or others in the proper, safe, and legal use of drones.
(b) A government which uses a drone, or obtains, receives, uses or retains information acquired by or through a drone, pursuant to paragraph II may do so only if (1) specifically authorized by the chief law enforcement officer of a law enforcement agency, or a supervisor designated by the chief law enforcement officer, (2) the drone is not operated in an unsafe manner, and (3) the drone is not operated in violation of United States Federal Aviation Administration regulations.
(c) The use of a drone by a government under subparagraph II(a)(4) shall be limited to a period of 48 hours of its initial use after which a search warrant or other court order signed by a judge shall be required. The use of a drone by a government under subparagraphs II(a)(5)-(8) shall be limited to a period of 48 hours of its initial use after which reauthorization shall be required.
(d) Within 5 business days of the initiation of the use of a drone under subparagraph II(a), the government shall report in writing the use of a drone to the attorney general who shall annually post such reports on the department of justice website in a searchable format.
III. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph I, a government may use a drone, or obtain, receive, use, or retain information acquired by or through a drone for non-law enforcement purposes if, in an emergency, a government determines that, under particular circumstances, swift action is needed to prevent imminent harm to life or serious damage to property, or to assist in locating missing, abducted, or lost individuals or hunters or hikers, or to rescue persons in natural disasters, injured persons, or persons in need of medical assistance.
IV. Unless the fact of a violation is being disputed, information obtained by a government in violation of paragraphs I and II shall, within 12 hours after the discovery of the violation, be permanently and irretrievably destroyed, shall not be transferred to another government or person, shall not be admissible in any judicial or administrative proceeding, and shall not be used to establish reasonable suspicion or probable cause to believe that an offense has been committed.
V. Images of identifiable individuals obtained by a government pursuant to paragraphs I or II shall be blurred, deleted or otherwise de-identified as soon as practicable but in any case within 30 days after being obtained unless such images may be evidence in a criminal investigation.
VI. No government shall own, use, or exercise control over a drone that is equipped with any kind of lethal or nonlethal weapon.
VII. A government that owns, uses, or exercises control over a drone that causes injury to a person or a person’s property shall be liable for such injury.
422-D:3 Nongovernment Use of Drones Limited; Exceptions.
I. No person shall own, use, or exercise control over a drone that is equipped with any kind of lethal or nonlethal weapon. This prohibition shall not apply to a person who is a federal government military contractor using or exercising control over a drone which is equipped with a nonlethal weapon and which is flying over real property in which the person has a legal interest.
II. No person shall use a drone to view, photograph, or make a video or other recording of another person, under circumstances where such other person has a reasonable expectation of privacy, without the consent of such other person.
III. Any person that owns, uses, or exercises control over a drone in this state that causes injury to a person or a person’s property shall be liable for the injury.
422-D:4 Federal Preemption. If federal law preempts any provision of this chapter, that provision shall not apply.
422-D:5 Applicability. The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to the New Hampshire national guard in the conduct of its official duties.
422-D:6 Construction. This chapter shall be construed to provide the greatest possible protection of the privacy of the people of this state. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to impose liability in connection with news gathering activity.
422-D:7 Penalties.
I. A government employee or agent who knowingly violates RSA 422-D:2, except for the reporting requirements in 422-D:2, II(d) and 422-D:2, VIII, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. A government employee or agent who violates the reporting requirements in RSA 422-D:2, II(d) or 422-D:2, VIII shall be guilty of a violation for a first offense and a misdemeanor for any subsequent offense.
II. A government which violates RSA 422-D:2 may be subject to a civil penalty of up to $10,000 which shall be deposited in the general fund of the state.
III. A person who suffers damages or injury caused by a government’s use of a drone pursuant to this chapter may bring a civil action to recover actual damages which shall be limited to medical expenses, treatment, and rehabilitation, property damage, permanent physical impairment, court costs, and reasonable attorney’s fees from the government. No claim for pain and suffering, emotional distress, mental anguish, disfigurement, loss of enjoyment, loss of companionship, services, or consortium, or other nonpecuniary losses shall be compensable under this chapter. This paragraph shall not be construed as a waiver of the sovereign immunity of the state.
IV. A person who violates RSA 422-D:3, I or II shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
V. Any person who suffers injury caused by a drone operated in violation of this chapter shall be entitled to damages from the person who committed the violation of not less than $1,000 and an award of reasonable attorney's fees.
VI. In addition to any other remedies allowed by law, a person who willfully gains unauthorized control over a drone shall be liable to the owner of the drone in an amount of not less than $1,000 and an award of reasonable attorney's fees.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2021.
20-2228
11/25/19
HB 1580-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED
AN ACT regulating the use of drones.
FISCAL IMPACT: [ X ] State [ X ] County [ ] Local [ ] None
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STATE: | FY 2020 | FY 2021 | FY 2022 | FY 2023 |
Appropriation | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Expenditures | $0 | Indeterminable Increase | Indeterminable Increase | Indeterminable Increase |
Funding Source: | [ X ] General [ ] Education [ ] Highway [ ] Other | |||
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COUNTY: |
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Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Expenditures | $0 | Indeterminable Increase | Indeterminable Increase | Indeterminable Increase |
METHODOLOGY:
This bill establishes the regulation of drones and creates multiple violation and misdemeanor level offenses. There is no method to determine how many charges would be brought as a result of the changes contained in this bill to determine the fiscal impact on expenditures. However, the entities impacted have provided the potential costs associated with these penalties below.
Judicial Branch | FY 2021 | FY 2022 |
Violation Level Offense | $52 | $54 |
Class B Misdemeanor | $54 | $56 |
Class A Misdemeanor | $77 | $79 |
Simple Criminal Case | $300 | $314 |
Appeals | Varies | Varies |
It should be noted that average case cost estimates for FY 2021 and FY 2022 are based on data that is more than ten years old and does not reflect changes to the courts over that same period of time or the impact these changes may have on processing the various case types. An unspecified misdemeanor can be either class A or class B, with the presumption being a class B misdemeanor. | ||
Judicial Council |
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Public Defender Program | Has contract with State to provide services. | Has contract with State to provide services. |
Contract Attorney – Misdemeanor | $300/Case | $300/Case |
Assigned Counsel – Misdemeanor | $60/Hour up to $1,400 | $60/Hour up to $1,400 |
It should be noted that a person needs to be found indigent and have the potential of being incarcerated to be eligible for indigent defense services. The majority of indigent cases (approximately 85%) are handled by the public defender program, with the remaining cases going to contract attorneys (14%) or assigned counsel (1%). | ||
NH Association of Counties |
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County Prosecution Costs | Indeterminable | Indeterminable |
Estimated Average Daily Cost of Incarcerating an Individual | $105 to $120 | $105 to $120 |
Many offenses are prosecuted by local and county prosecutors. When the Department of Justice has investigative and prosecutorial responsibility or is involved in an appeal, the Department would likely absorb the cost within its existing budget. If the Department needs to prosecute significantly more cases or handle more appeals, then costs may increase by an indeterminable amount.
The Department of Transportation expects no incremental expenditures as a result of this bill.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Department of Safety, Department of Transportation, Judicial Branch, Department of Justice, Judicial Council, and New Hampshire Association of Counties