Enacted Laws
AB 481 - Requires a law enforcement agency to obtain approval of the applicable governing body, by an ordinance adopting a military equipment impact statement and a military equipment use policy, prior to seeking or acquiring military equipment (including unmanned aerial vehicles) and prior to further use of any military equipment acquired prior to January 1, 2022. View the Bill
AB 856 - An act to amend Section 1708.8 of the Civil Code, relating to privacy. View the Bill
SB 807 - An act to add Section 43.101 to the Civil Code, and to add Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 853) to Part 2 of Division 3.6 of Title 1 of the Government Code, relating to unmanned aircraft systems. View the Bill
SB 1355 - Prohibits operating an unmanned aircraft system on or above the grounds of a state prison or a jail. View the Bill
AB 527 - Unlawful for a person to operate an unmanned aircraft in pest control unless the pilot operating the unmanned aircraft holds a valid pest control aircraft pilot’s certificate issued by the director and is certified or otherwise authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to operate an unmanned aircraft system approved by the FAA to conduct pest control operations. View the Bill
AB 1129 - Existing law makes a person who looks through a hole or opening by means of a list of stated instrumentalities with the intent to invade the privacy of a person inside, guilty of a misdemeanor. This legislation adds unmanned aircraft systems to the list of instrumentalities. View the Bill
Active Legislation
NACDL has not identified any active legislatioin for this state.
Previously Introduced Legislation (2022)
AB 1689 – Requires a pilot operating an unmanned aircraft system in pest control to hold a valid manned or unmanned pest control aircraft pilot’s certificate and to meet the requirements for a vector control technician certificate or an unmanned aircraft operator certificate. View the Bill
Previously Introduced Legislation (2021)
AB 1292 - Authorizes an unmanned aircraft system that is used by a business to deliver consumer products to a person to be used by a business to collect, use, and retain audio, geolocation, and visual information only when reasonably necessary and proportionate to achieve the delivery purposes for which the information was collected or processed. Requires the business to destroy that information upon completion or realization of those purposes. View the Bill
AB 60 - Requires that law enforcement agencies consider specified best practices when establishing policies and procedures for downloading and storing data from unmanned aircraft systems, including prohibiting the unauthorized use, duplication, or distribution of the data, and establishing storage periods for evidentiary and nonevidentiary data. View the Bill
Previously Introduced Legislation (2020)
AB 2787 - This bill would express the intent of the Legislature to enact subsequent legislation pertaining to unmanned aircraft system delivery services. View the Bill
AB 3321 - This bill would, with respect to the unmanned pest control aircraft pilot’s certificate, create the status of the unmanned aircraft operator. It would require an applicant for an certificate to pass an examination as a condition of licensure. To be eligible for a certificate, the bill would require a pilot to hold required certification from the FAA for both agricultural and commercial operations. View the Bill
Previously Introduced Legislation (2019)
AB 1190 - This bill would prohibit a state or local agency from adopting any law or regulation that bans the operation of an unmanned aircraft system; it would authorize a state or local agency to adopt regulations to enforce a requirement that a small unmanned aircraft system be properly registered under exiting federal regulations. View the Bill
SB 648 - This bill would require the operator of an unmanned aircraft system involved in an accident resulting in injury to an individual or damage to property to immediately land the unmanned aircraft and provide certain information to the injured individual or the owner or person in charge of the damaged property, or place that information in a conspicuous place on the damaged property. View the Bill
Previously Introduced Legislation (2018)
SB 3173 - Prohibits the weaponization of a UAV. View the Bill
Previously Introduced Legislation (2017)
SB 347 - This bill would enact the State Remote Piloted Aircraft Act. The bill would prohibit a person from operating a remote piloted aircraft in any number of specified manners and would require any person using, operating, or renting a remote piloted aircraft and every commercial operator of a remote piloted aircraft to maintain adequate liability insurance or proof of financial responsibility, as specified. View the Bill
Previously Introduced Legislation (2016)
AB 14 - Unmanned aircraft systems: task force. View the Bill
AB 1662 - This bill would require the operator of any unmanned aircraft system involved in an accident resulting in injury to an individual or damage to property to immediately land the unmanned aircraft at the nearest location that will not jeopardize the safety of others and provide certain information to the injured individual or the owner or person in charge of the damaged property or place that information in a conspicuous place on the damaged property. The bill would make a person who violates these provisions guilty of a misdemeanor. View the Bill
AB 1724 - This bill would require a person or public or private entity that owns or operates an unmanned aircraft, as defined, to place specified identifying information or digitally store identifying information on that unmanned aircraft. View the Bill
AB 1820 - This bill would generally prohibit a law enforcement agency from using an unmanned aircraft system, obtaining an unmanned aircraft system from another public agency by contract, loan, or other arrangement, or using information obtained from an unmanned aircraft system used by another public agency, except as provided by the bill’s provisions. View the Bill
AB 2148 - This bill would require the department to develop guidelines for the use of unmanned aircraft systems, commonly known as drones, over the public lands managed by the department. View the Bill
AB 2320 - This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that will regulate unmanned aircraft systems. View the Bill
AB 2724 - This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would provide immunity for first responders who damage or destroy drones that interfere with emergency operations. View the Bill
SB 868 - This bill would enact the State Remote Piloted Aircraft Act. The bill would establish conditions for operating remote piloted aircraft. The bill would prohibit the operation of remote piloted aircraft within 500 feet of critical infrastructure and in other specified areas, subject to exceptions, and would prohibit certain ways of operating remote piloted aircraft. View the Bill
SB 808 - An act to amend Section 273.6 of the Penal Code, relating to unmanned aircraft systems. This bill would specifically prohibit a person who is prohibited from coming within a specified distance of another person, from operating an unmanned aircraft system in a way that causes an unmanned aircraft to fly within the prohibited distance of the other person, or from capturing images of the other person by using an unmanned aircraft system. View the Bill
SB 809 - An act to add Section 626.12 to the Penal Code, relating to unmanned aircraft systems. This bill would make it an infraction to knowingly and intentionally operate an unmanned aircraft or unmanned aircraft system on the grounds of, or less than 350 feet above ground level within the airspace overlaying, a public school providing instruction in kindergarten or grades 1 to 12 during school hours. This bill would also make it an infraction to knowingly and intentionally use an unmanned aircraft or unmanned aircraft system to capture images of public school grounds providing instruction in kindergarten or grades 1 to 12 during school hours. View the Bill
SB 810 - An act to add Section 402.5 to the Penal Code, relating to unmanned aircraft. This bill would make it unlawful to knowingly, intentionally, or recklessly operate an unmanned aircraft or unmanned aircraft system in a manner that prevents or delays the extinguishment of a fire, or in any way interferes with the efforts of firefighters to control, contain, or extinguish a fire. View the Bill
SB 811 - An act to add Section 4577 to the Penal Code, relating to unmanned aircraft systems. This bill would make a person who knowingly and intentionally operates an unmanned aircraft system on or above the grounds of a state prison or a jail guilty of a misdemeanor. View the Bill
Previously Introduced Legislation (2015)
AB 56 - An act to add Section 6254.31 to the Government Code, and to add Title 14 (commencing with Section 14350) to Part 4 of the Penal Code, relating to unmanned aircraft systems. View the Bill
SB 142 - An act to add Section 1708.83 to the Civil Code, relating to civil law. (Status Update: Vetoed by Governor; consideration of Governor’s veto pending. (as of 9/09/15)) View the Bill
SB 167 - An act to add Section 4167 to the Public Resources Code, relating to forest fires, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately. View the Bill
SB 168 - An act to add Section 43.101 to the Civil Code, to add Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 853) to Part 2 of Division 3.6 of Title 1 of the Government Code, and to add Section 402.5 to the Penal Code, relating to unmanned aircraft systems, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately. (Status update: Vetoed by Governor; consideration of Governor's veto pending. (as of 10/03/15)) View the Bill
SB 262 - An act to add Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 11470) to Title 1 of Part 4 of the Penal Code, relating to unmanned aircraft systems. View the Bill
SB 263 - Protective orders: use of an unmanned aircraft system. View the Bill
SB 271 - An act to add Section 626.12 to the Penal Code, relating to unmanned aircraft systems. (Status Update: Vetoed by Governor; consideration of Governor’s veto pending. (as of 10/03/15)) View the Bill
SJR 18 - Relative to small unmanned aircraft systems. View the Bill