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Texas drone bill clears use by police, not civlians

Posted by Chris Anderson on May 29, 2013 at 8:05pm

3689527377?profile=originalThe Texas Legislature has passed a drone bill, which only requires the Governor's signature to become law.

Description, from The Verge:

The Texas Privacy Act makes it a misdemeanor the use aerial drones to film any person or private property "with the intent to conduct surveillance," but it also carves out a whopping 40 exemptions. According to the bill's text, law enforcement officers will have wide authority to use surveillance drones both with and without a warrant, in order to investigate crime scenes or pursue individuals when police have "reasonable suspicion" that they have committed a crime — among a host of other circumstances. The bill also has broad exemptions for oil and electrical companies, real estate agents using drones for "marketing purposes," educational institutions, and areas within 25 miles of the Mexican border.

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Comments

  • Gary McCray May 30, 2013 at 11:41am

    Texas has basically made any use of drones with cameras illegal except for those they have specifically authorized, basically themselves.

    They probably won't be arresting people for flying in their own yards or the flying field.

    But Texas Corporations are safe from all those vicious do-gooders that want to broadcast videos of them slaughtering cattle in totally inhumane circumstance.

    Or the rivers of blood.

    They are not watching out for our rights, they are tramping all over them.

  • Moderator
    Dwgsparky May 30, 2013 at 8:32am

    This sounds like a good move BUT dont your FAA have something to say regarding commercail UAV's that over powers the local state laws??

  • John Locke May 30, 2013 at 8:20am

    I think you should read the bill.  It looks to me like all UAV pictures/video of private property is forbidden UNLESS you fall within one of the exemptions.  Flying your drone in your neighborhood for fun?  The images you take are now illegal.  Cruising at the flying field on a Saturday?  Illegal.  I live in Dallas Texas, and I think this will kill the amateur aerial video market.  This is not a good thing.

  • 100KM
    crystal garris May 30, 2013 at 1:10am
    So as a read it thisoguy in this article would have been fined and or ordered to destroy the images he gathered and be barred from distributing it nor would it be admissable in court.
    http://www.suasnews.com/2012/01/11389/dallas-meat-packing-plant-inv...
    Not sure how this protects anyones right to privacy but it sure puts an end to citizens knowing the truth about what the government and corporations are up to.
  • T3
    Ted Van Slyck May 29, 2013 at 9:28pm

    Surprising as every Texan I'v ever met has not wanted their government spying on them, but their government is specifically exempted... 

  • Gary McCray May 29, 2013 at 9:08pm

    Basically as is not surprising for Texas they are making it illegal for civilians to use drones to observe the illegal activities of companies so they can turn them in.

    Another giant triumph for the Corptocracy and another blow to individual freedom.

    1984 just got it a few years too early.

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