BILL NUMBER: S6119

SPONSOR: BOYLE
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to
prohibiting the use of unmanned aerial vehicles in the course of hunting

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

To prohibit the use of unmanned aerial vehicles for hunting or taking of
wildlife.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1. Defines the term "unmanned aerial vehicle" as any aircraft
that is operated without the possibility of direct human intervention
from within or on the aircraft.

Section 2. Prohibits the hunting or taking of wildlife with the aid of
an unmanned aerial vehicle. Section 3. Establishes effective date.
              

 
JUSTIFICATION:

UAV hunting would allow hunters to use remote-controlled, camera-e-
quipped aircraft to locate wildlife in order to shoot and kill them.
Alaska enacted a ban after wildlife officials learned that a moose was
killed by a hunter using a UAV. Colorado and Montana have outlawed this
practice. In addition, Idaho and Wisconsin have included prohibitions
into existing regulations. New Mexico, Vermont and Wyoming have pending
rule-making petitions before their wildlife Commissions to ban this
practice.

There is only anecdotal evidence of UAV's being used for hunting, but
the national groups Backcountry Hunters and Anglers and the Humane Soci-
ety of the United States both say they believe that enacting bans now
are important to avoid problems later. Current federal aviation regu-
lations do not allow for the commercial use of UAV's or drones, but
national guidelines are under development. Federal regulators estimate
that as many as 7,500 small commercial drones could be flying within
five years.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2020: S. 620- Referred to Environmental Conservation / A. 2525- Referred
to Environmental Conservation
2019: S. 620- Referred to Environmental Conservation / A. 2525- Referred
to Environmental Conservation
2018: S. 612- Referred to Environmental Conservation / A. 1437- Referred
to Codes
2017: S. 612- Referred to Environmental Conservation / A. 1437- Referred
to Codes
2016: S. 1249- Referred to Environmental Conservation / A. 5435-
Referred to Environmental Conservation
2015: S. 1249- Referred to Environmental Conservation / A. 5435-
Referred to Environmental Conservation
2014: S. 7474- Referred to Environmental Conservation / A. 9697-
Referred to Environmental Conservation

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
The bill would take effect immediately.