HB527 Summary

• Expands criminal surveillance law to include use of unmanned aircraft systems to capture photographs, video, or audio of another person without consent in a manner that invades their reasonable expectation of privacy, including through windows.

• Prohibits use of unmanned aircraft systems to view, follow, or contact another individual or their private property without consent in a manner that invades reasonable expectation of privacy.

• Bars individuals subject to the Alabama Sex Offender Registration and Community Notification Act from operating, controlling, or possessing unmanned aircraft systems equipped to capture photographs, images, video, or audio.

• Prohibits persons convicted of burglary, criminal trespass, or theft offenses from operating, controlling, or possessing unmanned aircraft systems equipped with photo or audio capture capability; violations constitute a Class C felony.

• Criminal surveillance offenses remain a Class B misdemeanor; bill becomes effective the first day of the third month following passage and gubernatorial approval.