Sponsors (2)
Official title: Authorize the Secretary of Homeland Security or the Attorney General to deputize a State or local law enforcement officer to protect certain events with temporary flight restrictions, and for other purposes.
Introduced February 20, 2025 by Thomas Bryant Cotton · Last progress February 20, 2025
The bill empowers state and local authorities with regulated tools and oversight to counter dangerous drones—improving public-safety and reducing interference risks—while increasing privacy/surveillance exposure, the potential for accidental disruption to aircraft/communications, and local implementation costs.
Event attendees, venue staff, and nearby communities: state and local officers may disable or counter dangerous drones at large public events, reducing immediate risks of injury, disruption, or malicious surveillance.
State and local law-enforcement agencies: federally required training and oversight create consistent procedures and accountability that reduce misuse of counter-UAS tools.
Transportation workers and communications operators: restricting detection/tracking equipment to an FCC/NTIA-authorized list limits harmful interference with aviation and communications systems.
Event attendees and nearby residents: expanded law-enforcement authority to monitor and counter UAS increases privacy and surveillance risks at public events and in surrounding areas.
Transportation workers, air travelers, and the public: use of counter-UAS technologies risks accidental disruption of lawful aircraft or communications if oversight or equipment limits fail, creating safety hazards.
State and local governments and law-enforcement: required training and compliance impose costs that local budgets must fund, potentially diverting resources from other services.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Authorizes DHS or the AG to deputize trained state/local officers to exercise federal counter-UAS authority at certain flight-restricted sites and large public gatherings, with oversight and an authorized equipment list.
Authorizes the Department of Homeland Security or the Attorney General to deputize trained state or local law enforcement officers to exercise existing federal counter-UAS (uncrewed aircraft systems) authorities to protect certain flight-restricted sites and large public gatherings. Deputized officers must complete DHS/DOJ-approved training, operate under DHS/DOJ and DOT/FAA oversight, and use only detection/monitoring equipment from a federal authorized-equipment list developed with DOJ, FAA, FCC, and NTIA.