The House Courts and Criminal Code Committee heard HB 1358 authored by Reps. Morris, Carbaugh, Beau, and Moed on use of unmanned aerial vehicles. The bill allows a law enforcement officer to use an unmanned aerial vehicle to obtain aerial photographs or video images of a crime scene without first obtaining a search warrant in certain instances. The bill also provides that a person who operates an unmanned aerial vehicle within a 1,500 foot radius of an emergency incident area or in the area above an emergency incident in a manner that obstructs or interferes with a law enforcement officer, a firefighter, an emergency medical person, or a member of a search and rescue team or mission; while such individuals are performing or attempting to perform their official duties commits public safety remote aerial interference, a Class A misdemeanor.
Testimony in favor of the bill was presented by the Police Departments of Fort Wayne and Evansville, the Indiana Fraternal Order of Police, the Indiana Broadcaster’s Association, the Indiana State Press Association, and the Professional Firefighters of Indiana. The Indiana Public Defender Council testified in opposition to the bill.
The bill was amended to allow use at public events and broaden the scope of allowed use of aerial vehicles. The amended bill passed 9 – 2.
Read the bill at http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2019/bills/house/1358.