SB372 Summary

• Creates the Alabama Unmanned Aircraft Systems Act to prohibit operating unmanned aircraft systems over designated critical facilities (petroleum refineries, chemical plants, electric generation facilities, water treatment plants, ports, and similar infrastructure) without written owner consent, with exceptions for authorized third parties, government agencies, utility inspections, and news organizations.

• Establishes criminal penalties for unlawful drone use: Class B misdemeanor for first offense and Class A misdemeanor for subsequent offenses; allows facility owners to recover $5,000 per unlawfully published photograph or video plus court costs and attorney's fees.

• Prohibits sale, transport, manufacture, possession, or operation of unmanned aircraft systems equipped with weapons (devices designed to cause serious bodily injury or death), making violations a Class A misdemeanor.

• Restricts governmental agencies from using drones to gather evidence or information except under specified circumstances including search warrants, imminent danger situations, plain view surveillance, public events, search and rescue operations, and crime scene documentation; prohibits use of illegally obtained drone evidence in criminal prosecutions.

• Grants the Alabama Department of Transportation rulemaking authority and becomes effective on the first day of the third month following passage and gubernatorial approval.