Bill > A00972

This bill, known as the "Protect Our Privacy (POP) Act," establishes comprehensive restrictions on law enforcement's use of drones, effectively prohibiting their deployment for most investigative and surveillance purposes. The legislation broadly defines drones and strictly limits their use, permitting drone usage only for specific purposes like search and rescue operations or examining dangerous areas after natural disasters. Critically, the bill explicitly bars law enforcement from using drones at First Amendment-protected events such as concerts, protests, and demonstrations, and completely prohibits the use of armed drones. The bill includes robust privacy protections, mandating that any data collected through drone use cannot be used for law enforcement purposes, must have personally identifying information redacted, and must be destroyed within one year unless part of an ongoing investigation. Additionally, the bill provides individuals with a private right of action, allowing them to sue government entities for violations, with potential damages of $1,000 per violation or actual damages, whichever is greater. The legislation also includes provisions for suppressing evidence obtained through illegal drone use and requires courts to consider factors like the number of people affected and whether the violation targeted constitutionally protected activities when assessing potential punitive damages.

Government Affairs

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A972