Bill > HB1556

This bill, titled the Oklahoma Unmanned Aerial Surveillance Act, establishes regulations for the use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), which are aircraft operated without direct human intervention from within the aircraft, for surveillance purposes. Surveillance is defined as gathering any type of media, data, or information about a person, property, or activities. The act generally prohibits the use of UAS for surveillance within the state, with several exceptions. These exceptions include law enforcement operating under a valid search warrant, searches for missing persons with an imminent threat to life or safety, firefighting and emergency services responding to disasters, operations with the informed and freely given written consent of the person or organization being surveilled, and surveillance exclusively of public land or property by authorized agencies, provided it does not target private citizens or organizations. Violators face misdemeanor charges with potential jail time and fines, and those aggrieved by illegal surveillance can bring civil actions seeking triple damages and punitive damages. Information gathered in violation of the act is inadmissible in court, and data collected on unintended targets must be deleted within 24 hours. The bill also prohibits weaponizing UAS, with violations being felonies, except for authorized U.S. military testing or training over public land. Manufacturers and sellers are not liable for others' violations, and the act clarifies it does not override federal law.