Bill > SB93

This bill adds Section 18722 to the California Penal Code to prohibit operating a robotic device (defined as a mechanical device capable of locomotion or movement operated remotely) that is equipped or mounted with a weapon, which includes firearms, stun guns, chemical agents, or kinetic energy projectiles. The bill establishes this as an infraction punishable by a fine between $100 and $2,000. However, the law includes several important exceptions: the prohibition does not apply to government officials acting within their scope of employment, organizations researching or developing robotic devices for government use, participants in robot competitions using non-autonomous devices, film or television productions using blank-firing weapons as props, academic researchers at California higher education institutions taking appropriate safety precautions, and federal, state, or local agency personnel acting within their official capacity. The bill specifically does not regulate or authorize governmental procurement of robotic devices, and it clarifies that weapons typically used in robot competitions are permitted, though firearms remain strictly prohibited. Notably, the bill does not require local government reimbursement for implementing this new infraction.

Budget and Finance, Justice

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB93