Bill > AB1160

This bill addresses regulations for law enforcement agencies' use of unmanned, remotely piloted aerial or ground vehicles (often called drones). Starting January 1, 2027, law enforcement agencies will be prohibited from purchasing such vehicles unless two conditions are met: the vehicle must have an option to turn off non-essential data collection programs, and the agency must use an American data storage company to house all collected data, including video and photographic images. For vehicles purchased between January 1, 2026, and January 1, 2027, agencies must use an American data storage company. For vehicles owned before January 1, 2026, agencies must switch to an American data storage company after their current data storage contract expires. The bill defines an "American data storage company" as a business entity formed under U.S. laws, headquartered in the U.S., that provides digital data storage services with dedicated servers in the United States. Importantly, any contract with these storage companies must prohibit them from using, selling, renting, trading, or sharing the collected data with other entities, ensuring that the law enforcement agency maintains sole ownership and control of the data.

Budget and Finance, Business and Industry, Justice

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB1160