AB 426: Impeding emergency response with drone.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

Existing law makes it a crime for a person to operate or use an unmanned aerial vehicle, remote piloted aircraft, or drone at the scene of an emergency for the purpose of viewing the scene or emergency or military personnel, and thereby impede the emergency or military personnel, in the performance of their duties in coping with the emergency. Existing law excuses a local public entity or public employee from liability for damage to an unmanned aircraft or unmanned aircraft system, if the damage was caused while the local public entity or public employee of a local public entity was providing, and the unmanned aircraft or unmanned aircraft system was interfering with, the operation, support, or enabling of any emergency service, as specified. Existing law imposes liability for physical invasion of privacy on a person if the person knowingly enters onto the land or into the airspace above the land of another person without permission or otherwise commits a trespass in order to capture any image or recording of the other person engaging in a private activity and the invasion occurs in a manner that is offensive to a reasonable person.

This bill would prohibit a person from operating or using an unmanned aerial vehicle, remote piloted aircraft, or drone at the scene of an emergency and thereby impeding firefighters, peace officers, medical personnel, military personnel, or other emergency personnel in the performance of their fire suppression, law enforcement, or emergency response duties, unless the person has a federal operational waiver, as specified. The bill would authorize the Attorney General or a county counsel or city attorney to bring civil action to enforce the prohibition and authorize a prevailing plaintiff to recover civil penalties, injunctive relief, or reasonable attorney’s fees and costs, as specified.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Republican 1

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. August 29, 2025In committee: Held under submission.
2. August 18, 2025In committee: Referred to suspense file.
3. July 9, 2025From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (July 8). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
4. June 18, 2025Referred to Com. on JUD.
5. June 9, 2025In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
6. June 5, 2025Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 76. Noes 0. Page 2105.)
7. May 27, 2025Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
8. May 23, 2025From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (May 23).
9. April 30, 2025In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.
10. April 22, 2025From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
11. April 8, 2025From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (April 7). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
12. April 3, 2025Re-referred to Com. on E.M.