Florida Senate - 2019                       CS for CS for SB 766
       
       
        
       By the Committees on Infrastructure and Security; and Criminal
       Justice; and Senator Gruters
       
       
       
       
       596-03528-19                                           2019766c2
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to expanded uses of unmanned aircraft;
    3         amending s. 934.50, F.S.; authorizing the use of
    4         drones by law enforcement agencies and other specified
    5         entities for specified purposes; providing an
    6         effective date.
    7          
    8  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
    9  
   10         Section 1. Present paragraphs (d) through (j) of subsection
   11  (4) of section 934.50, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as
   12  paragraphs (i) through (o), respectively, new paragraphs (d)
   13  through (h) are added to that subsection, and paragraph (a) of
   14  subsection (3) of that section is amended, to read:
   15         934.50 Searches and seizure using a drone.—
   16         (3) PROHIBITED USE OF DRONES.—
   17         (a) A law enforcement agency may not use a drone to gather
   18  evidence or other information except as provided in (4).
   19         (4) EXCEPTIONS.—This section does not prohibit the use of a
   20  drone:
   21         (d) To assist a law enforcement agency in crowd control
   22  involving a group of 50 people or more.
   23         (e) To assist a law enforcement agency with traffic
   24  management, except that a law enforcement agency may not use a
   25  drone to gather evidence to enforce traffic infractions.
   26         (f) To facilitate a law enforcement agency’s collection of
   27  evidence at a crime scene or traffic crash scene.
   28         (g) By a state agency or political subdivision for the
   29  assessment of damage due to a flood, wildfire, or natural
   30  disaster or for vegetation or wildlife management on publicly
   31  owned land or water.
   32         (h) By certified fire department personnel to perform tasks
   33  within the scope and practice authorized under their
   34  certifications.
   35         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2019.