California AB1749: Interfering with wildfire suppression and emergency responses with drone.

What the bill says

An act to add Section 1714.57 to the Civil Code, relating to civil law. civil law Interfering with wildfire suppression and emergency responses with drone. 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…

From the chaptered text, September 29, 2026:

An act to add Section 1714.57 to the Civil Code, relating to civil law. civil law Interfering with wildfire suppression and emergency responses with drone. 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 makes everyone responsible for an injury occasioned to another by their want of ordinary care or skill in the management of their property or person, as provided. This bill would prohibit a person from operating or using an unmanned aerial vehicle, remote-piloted aircraft, or drone to knowingly or recklessly interfere with, among other things, a wildfire suppression or law enforcement or emergency response efforts related to a wildfire suppression. The bill …

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Sponsors

• Diane Dixon (R, AD72) · primary sponsor