April Days See Local Drone Controls and Bans Intensify

The April Days of Action Against Drones are coinciding with a groundswell in local efforts to control or ban drones.

Major drivers in the move to ban drone use at the local level are (a) acquisition of drones by local sheriff and other law enforcement departments; and (b) the Department of Defense (DoD) plan to base drones in over 100 locations nationwide.

DRONE BASES NATIONWIDE

You can see state-by-state summaries of the DoD plans on selected state No Drones sites:

CALIFORNIA: Count of California Drone Bases Tops National List
FLORIDA: Bristling with Drone Bases
MARYLAND: Drone Experience A Harbinger for U.S.A.?
NORTH CAROLINA: First in Flight? Or First in Drones?
TEXAS: Will Texas Skies Soon Be Full of Drones?
VIRGINIA: Six Drone Bases?
WASHINGTON STATE: State to Base Drones?

BORDC MODEL LEGISLATION

The Bill of Rights Defense Committee (BORDC) has released model drone legislation to assist local communities and states in the growing battle against domestic surveillance drones. BORDC worked with the organizers across the country who have been leading the opposition against rushed drone proliferation. The American Friends Service Committee, Alameda County Against Drones, the No Drones Network, and the Tenth Amendment Center all consulted on the language.

More background on the model legislation here.

Model legislation - fulltext, with annotations.

LOCAL LEGISLATION

A growing number of localities are passing ordinances or laws on drones:

ALABAMA Huntsville - Some residents against drone test sites coming to Huntsville

CALIFORNIA Ranco Mirage - California city to vote on banning drones

FLORIDA - Florida Senate Passes Anti-Drone Bill, 39-0

Hernando County / Tampa - Hernando commissioners turn down drone testing at airport

IDAHO - Idaho Restricts Drone Use by Police Agencies Amid Privacy Concerns

ILLINOIS - The Illinois Freedom from Drone Surveillance Act – Senate Bill 1587 – is designed to place modest guidelines on the use of this powerful technology. The bill, for example, would bar the arming of drones, except in certain emergencies. The bill also would curb how much information could be gathered by drones and require annual reporting to the public about the use of drones in Illinois. Act now: tell your state senators to regulate surveillance drones!

IOWA Burlington - pending ordinance to restirct drones

MINNESOTA St. Bonifacious - No drones over St. Bonifacius, says this small-town City Council

MISSOURI Statewide - Missouri House Endorses Ban On Drones, Critics Say It Goes Too Far

TENNESSEE - SB0796/HB0591, or the “Freedom from Unwanted Surveillance Act,” has passed both the Senate and the House, but continues to go through procedural modifications.

TEXAS

VIRGINIA Charlottesville - Charlottesville first city to pass aerial drone ban

WASHINGTON Seattle - Seattle Mayor Bans Police From Using Drones

Read about ALL the ways YOU can be involved 

in the April Days of Action Against Drones!