HB 1295 Summary

• Creates the Oklahoma Unmanned Aerial Surveillance Act, prohibiting state and local agents from operating unmanned aerial vehicles or disclosing information obtained through them without legal authorization.

• Requires all unmanned aerial vehicle use to comply with Federal Aviation Administration rules and establishes exceptions for emergency situations (imminent threat to life or safety), warrant-authorized operations, and operations on public land or for scientific research.

• Prohibits facial recognition and biometric matching technology on non-target data, bans equipping unmanned aerial vehicles with weapons except for Department of Defense operations, and excludes information collected in violation from use as evidence (except exculpatory evidence).

• Mandates state and local agencies maintain detailed logs of each unmanned aerial vehicle use for minimum three years, report logs annually to the Administrator of the Courts (retained for ten years), and make records available through the Oklahoma Open Records Act.

• Establishes penalties of up to six months in county jail and fines of $250-$2,500 per violation for misdemeanor breaches, permits civil actions with attorney fees for prevailing parties, and requires disciplinary proceedings when violations raise questions about willful or intentional conduct.