HCS/HB 324 - This act creates the offenses of unlawful use of an unmanned aircraft near a correctional center and unlawful use of an unmanned aircraft near a mental health hospital. These offenses are committed if someone knowingly operates an unmanned aircraft within a vertical or horizontal distance of 300 feet from the property line of the correctional center or mental health hospital. These offenses are also committed if someone knowingly allows an unmanned aircraft to make contact with a correctional center or mental health hospital, including any person or object located within the facility. For purposes of this act "correctional center" is defined to include all state correctional centers, private jails, and local jails, and "mental health hospital" is defined to include any facility operated by the Department of Mental Health to provide inpatient evaluation, treatment, or care to persons suffering from a mental disorder, mental illness, or mental abnormality.
This act shall not apply to certain individuals acting in the course of their official duties or to public utilities under certain circumstances.
Under this act, every correctional center and mental health hospital shall post an eleven by fourteen inch sign warning of the provisions of this act.
Violations of the act shall be punishable as a Class A misdemeanor unless the person is delivering an article that may be used to harm an offender, a correctional center employee, or a mental health hospital employee in which case it shall be punished as Class B felony. Using an unmanned aircraft to facilitate an escape from the correctional center is punishable as a Class C felony, and if used to facilitate an escape from a mental health hospital it is punished as a Class D felony. Finally, using an unmanned aircraft to deliver a controlled substance shall be punished as a Class D felony.
This act is similar to SCS/SB 194 (2019).
CHARLEY MERRIWEATHER