Hannah-Beth Jackson drone bill passes Assembly

Last March, the Sun wrote about the ubiquity of drones ("Drone republic," Mar. 19) in California and a bill written by a state senator from Santa Barbara County who intends to curb their use in some instances. 

Senate Bill 142, authored by Democratic Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson, would create a “no fly” zone over private property from ground level up to 350 feet. Drone operators who fly within those boundaries without the property owner’s permission could face charges of trespassing. 

The bill passed the Assembly with a 43-11 vote on Aug. 24 and heads to the Senate. The bill wouldn’t affect flights over 350 feet because they are controlled by the Federal Aviation Administration

Jackson was prompted to write the bill after an incident in December 2014 while vacationing in Hawaii with her husband, retired Santa Barbara County Superior Court Judge George Eskin. 

According to Jackson, she and Eskin were enjoying morning coffee in the backyard of their home when a flying drone came buzzing over the property and stared “eyeball to eyeball” with Eskin for several minutes before flying away. 

They both followed the drone to a nearby neighbor, who turned out to be friendly. Nevertheless, the encounter spooked Jackson and prompted privacy concerns. 

“If someone hops the fence and comes into your backyard without permission, it’s trespassing,” Jackson told the Sun back in March. “Why shouldn’t a drone be subject to the same provision?”

The bill is currently awaiting a vote by the Senate. 

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