S-3608.1
SENATE BILL 6437
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State of Washington | 64th Legislature | 2016 Regular Session |
By Senators Roach, O'Ban, Schoesler, Warnick, Brown, Honeyford, and Benton
Read first time 01/20/16. Referred to Committee on Law & Justice.
AN ACT Relating to detecting and deterring dangerous drone operations near correctional facilities; adding a new section to chapter
72.09 RCW; adding a new section to chapter
9A.76 RCW; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that technological advances have provided new unique equipment that may be utilized in a variety of purposes. These technological advances often outpace statutory protections. Unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly known as drones, may be used for nefarious purposes such as the delivery of drugs, weapons, or other contraband to state prison inmates. The legislature finds the private use of drones near state prisons are a danger to public safety. It is the intent of the legislature to ensure that private drones may not be used near state prisons by making their specific use criminal, and by requiring the department of corrections to utilize technology to detect and deter dangerous drones.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 72.09 RCW to read as follows:
(1) The department must acquire and utilize technology to detect and deter drone operations near, over, or within correctional facilities.
(2) Upon receipt of a request, the department may authorize specific drone operations at or near correctional facilities where there is a clear public interest or benefit and the drone operations are conducted safely in accordance with federal regulations.
(3) The department may adopt rules for the implementation of this section.
(4) For the purposes of this section:
(a) "Deterrence" includes electronic, physical, or other safe means of preventing or stopping unauthorized drone operations at or near correctional facilities.
(b) "Drone" means any unmanned vehicle operating in the air or on land by remote means or by computer programming.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 9A.76 RCW to read as follows:
(1) A person is guilty of a dangerous drone operation if the person knowingly operates a drone, as defined in section 2 of this act, over or within one thousand feet of the perimeter of a correctional facility, as defined in RCW
72.09.015, without authorization from the department of corrections.
(2) A dangerous drone operation is a class C felony.
(3) This section does not apply to drone operations by federal, state, or local governmental agencies.
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