SB 231

This act amends Section 29-4-4, Code of Alabama 1975, to: (1) authorize the security personnel of the House of Representatives and Senate to be responsible for the security of the new Alabama State House, legislative parking deck, adjacent park, and at official legislative events away from the capitol complex; (2) prohibit intentionally using an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) to conduct surveillance of or photograph or otherwise record images of a capitol area for the purpose of committing a criminal offense and provide a violation is a Class C felony; (3) prohibit intentionally or knowingly using a UAS in the vicinity of a capitol area in a manner that interferes with the operations of or causes a disturbance to a capitol area and provide a violation is a Class C felony; (4) prohibit intentionally or knowingly using a UAS without written permission from the Secretary of the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) within 250 horizontal feet and 250 vertical feet of the perimeter of any site of the construction or improvement of state property within a capitol area and provide a first violation is a Class C misdemeanor and a second or subsequent violation is a Class B misdemeanor; (5) beginning January 1, 2027, prohibit intentionally or knowingly using a UAS in the vicinity of a capitol area and provide a first violation is a Class C misdemeanor and a second or subsequent violation is a Class B misdemeanor, subject to exceptions for certain persons including federal and state employees and contracted third parties; (6) authorize ALEA to take measures against unmanned aircraft systems operating in violation of this act, including seizure; (7) authorize the secretary to designate additional locations as Capitol areas; and (8) authorize the secretary, in consultation with the Governor, Alabama Legislative Council, and Alabama Administrative Office of Courts, to establish a permitting process for using a UAS in the vicinity of a Capitol area.