Bill > HB251

This bill updates Ohio's aviation laws to include new types of aviation facilities like vertiports and spaceports, and establishes comprehensive regulations for law enforcement's use of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones). The bill defines terms such as "surveillance data" and "flight data" and creates specific guidelines for when law enforcement can use drones without a search warrant, including border patrol, emergency situations, environmental monitoring, traffic enforcement, crime scene documentation, and research purposes. The legislation prohibits arming drones with lethal weapons and requires law enforcement agencies to document and verify all flight data, maintain records of surveillance data relevant to investigations, and ensure that such data is treated as a public record unless specific exemptions apply. Additionally, the bill mandates that if a peace officer would normally need a search warrant to enter a location physically, they must also obtain a warrant to use a drone for interior surveillance. The law also provides protections for individuals by requiring consent for drone surveillance of private individuals and allowing defendants to obtain surveillance data through legal discovery processes.

Military Affairs and Security, Transportation and Infrastructure

https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/136/hb251