The House Courts and Criminal Code Committee heard SB 299, sponsored by Rep. Washburne and Rep. Steuerwald, on offenses involving unmanned aerial vehicles. Author Sen. Koch presented the bill, which amends the definition of “unmanned aerial vehicle” to specify that the term includes: (1) an unmanned aircraft and an unmanned aircraft system, and (2) a small unmanned aircraft and a small unmanned aircraft system, all as defined in federal law. Sen. Koch explained that the bill also creates four new Class A misdemeanors: (1) sex offender unmanned aerial vehicle offense, (2) public safety remote aerial interference, (3) remote aerial voyeurism, and (4) remote aerial harassment. The bill provides that the offenses are Level 6 felonies if the accused person has a prior unrelated conviction for the same offense. It also provides that it is not a defense to a prosecution for invasion of privacy that the accused person used or operated an unmanned aerial vehicle in committing the violation.
At the request of media representatives, the bill was amended to insert a new subsection (b) for the aerial harassment offense which would exempt observation of a person in an area open to the general public. The Indiana Broadcasters Association testified in support of the amendment, which was adopted by consent. The bill passed as amended 8-0.
Read the bill at https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2017/bills/senate/299