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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2015 - 2016
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | March 3, 2016 05:01 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Lisa M. Boscola |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Use of Drones to Aerially Record or Deliver Contraband to Correctional Facilities |
| In the near future, I intend to introduce legislation to ban the use of drones that deliver contraband to correctional facilities or perform unauthorized surveillance of correctional facilities. This would include both state correctional institutions and county prisons. Recent attempts to smuggle drugs, weapons, telecommunication devices and other illegal contraband into correctional facilities have been facilitated by drones and other types of unmanned aerial systems (UAS). These devices vary in size and exhibit advanced technologies. There has been a sharp rise across several states over the past three years in the use of drones in smuggling instances. Additionally, drones pose a risk for electronic surveillance and imaging of prisons, their adjoining buildings and land. The use of such unauthorized images poses great safety risks, as the information can be used by those conspiring to smuggle contraband or escape from a facility. In light of these new and unprecedented challenges, my proposed legislation would prohibit drone operators from delivering contraband to prisons, as well as the aerial recording or imaging of correctional facilities in Pennsylvania. My legislation also provides for a criminal charge to a prisoner or other person that is knowingly involved with receiving contraband or information from a drone’s electronic surveillance system. |