ACTION
Contact your Delegates on the House Environment & Transportation Committee to add a Sunset to SB 370‘s Local Preemption of Drone Regulations.
THE ISSUE
The bill needs to add a 3-year sunset clause to the local preemption in Senate Bill 370. In its current form, SB 370 – Unmanned Aircraft Systems Research, Development, Regulation, and Privacy Act of 2015 would preempt county and municipal authority to regulate unmanned aircraft use in Maryland.
Unmanned aircraft, or drones are a growth industry with applications in public safety, agriculture, real estate, recreation, and many more as-of-yet unforeseen uses.
COUNTY CONCERNS
County governments may need to regulate drones to help enforce against bad actors, safeguard critical infrastructure, and preserve privacy rights.
A 3-year sunset will allow the General Assembly to re-evaluate whether local regulations are necessary with more information about this emerging technology and its applications.
- Local police, fire, EMS and Search & Rescue officers may use drones in life-saving missions
- County and municipal governments are responsible for securing critical infrastructure including airports, water treatment plants, bridges, and transit systems
- Local law enforcement may work in partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration to stop unauthorized use of drone aircraft
- County and municipal governments are best situated to regulate the manner and use of drones through local policies to protect privacy rights
KEY CONTACTS
2015 House Environment & Transportation Committee
MACo Contact: Robin Clark, Policy Analyst
