Tuesday, March 26, 2013

First Drone Legislation Bill in the NYS Assembly


This comes in from Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda 87th A.D. Bronx.

I just had my first piece of drone legislation published (#A06244); it focuses on limiting how law enforcement can utilize the technology to conduct surveillance.
I conducted a survey recently in my district to ascertain how the general public feels about drone activity. Most of the data suggests that the public is not fully aware of the technology and its implications, domestically. Only 18% of those surveyed knew what drones were. Though once they were informed, over 96% had concerns about their use, with a similar percentage feeling that drones could infringe on their privacy. Nearly 97% suggested that there be clear restrictions placed on drones.
This bill is the first of a series of comprehensive pieces of legislation initiated to address the lack of information on drones, and their attendant activities. Succeeding bills will focus on: Banning drones from being armed; clearly defining what constitutes a drone; restricting the use of drones by private citizens; and streamlining the mechanisms to secure permits for responsible drone usage concerning its commercial applications.
I have been at the forefront of pushing for more transparency and regulations concerning this phenomenon; assessing the trends, I feel it's incumbent upon the NYS Legislature to seize this issue before it takes on a life of its own. I don't want the technology to get ahead of the law, and hopefully, the legislation that I am putting forth, will be the catalyst for us as legislators to take hold of this issue.
 
Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda-87th District
1973 Westchester Ave
Phone: (718) 931-2620
Bronx, NY 10462
 

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