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PRINTER'S NO. 651
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
614
Session of
2017
INTRODUCED BY CRUZ, YOUNGBLOOD, THOMAS, ROZZI AND V. BROWN,
FEBRUARY 24, 2017
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, FEBRUARY 24, 2017
AN ACT
Amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in wiretapping and electronic
surveillance, providing for unmanned aircraft surveillance.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Chapter 57 of Title 18 of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding a subchapter to read:
SUBCHAPTER E.1
UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SURVEILLANCE
ยง 5776. Order authorizing unmanned aircraft surveillance.
(a) General rule.--The Attorney General, or, during the
absence or incapacity of the Attorney General, a deputy attorney
general designated in writing by the Attorney General, or the
district attorney or, during the absence or incapacity of the
district attorney, an assistant district attorney designated in
writing by the district attorney of the county in which the
suspected criminal activity has been, is or is about to occur,
may make written application to a Superior Court judge for an
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order authorizing the use of an unmanned aircraft by the
investigative or law enforcement officers or agency having
responsibility for an investigation involving suspected criminal
activities when such use may provide evidence of the commission
of any of the offenses enumerated in section 5708 (relating to
order authorizing interception of wire, electronic or oral
communications) or may provide evidence aiding in the
apprehension of the perpetrator or perpetrators of any of the
offenses listed under section 5708 if the offense is dangerous
to life, limb or property and punishable by imprisonment for
more than one year.
(b) Applicability of law.--The provisions of Subchapter B
(relating to wire, electronic or oral communication) that are
applicable to the interception of wire or electronic
communications shall be applicable in the same manner to
photographic evidence and other data or information obtainable
from unmanned aircraft by a law enforcement officer under this
subchapter.
(c) Definition.--As used in this section, the term "unmanned
aircraft" means an aircraft that is operated without the
possibility of direct human intervention from within or on the
aircraft. The term includes the equipment associated with such
aircraft that provides communication links and the components
that control the unmanned aircraft required for the pilot in
command to operate such aircraft safely and efficiently in the
national airspace system.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
20170HB0614PN0651 - 2 -
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