PRINTER'S NO. 2960
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1896
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY MULLERY, FABRIZIO, READSHAW, PASHINSKI, JAMES,
DIAMOND, COHEN, GODSHALL, METCALFE, BLOOM, MURT, GIBBONS,
GABLER AND MOUL, MARCH 15, 2016
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON GAME AND FISHERIES, MARCH 15, 2016
AN ACT
Amending Titles 30 (Fish) and 34 (Game) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in preliminary provisions, further
providing for definitions; in enforcement, further providing
for interference with lawful fishing and boating prohibited;
in preliminary provisions, further providing for definitions;
and, in hunting and furtaking, further providing for
interference with lawful taking of wildlife or other
activities permitted by this title prohibited.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 102 of Title 30 of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding a definition to read:
§ 102. Definitions.
Subject to additional definitions contained in subsequent
provisions of this title which are applicable to specific
provisions of this title, the following words and phrases when
used in this title shall have, unless the context clearly
indicates otherwise, the meanings given to them in this section:
* * *
"Drone." An aerial vehicle that does not carry a human
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operator.
* * *
Section 2. Section 909(b) of Title 30 is amended by adding a
paragraph to read:
§ 909. Interference with lawful fishing and boating prohibited.
* * *
(b) Activities that violate section.--A person violates this
section if that person intentionally or knowingly commits any of
the following:
* * *
(7) Uses a drone in a way that interferes with another
person who is engaged in the process of lawful fishing or
boating.
* * *
Section 3. Section 102 of Title 34 is amended by adding a
definition to read:
§ 102. Definitions.
Subject to additional definitions contained in subsequent
provisions of this title which are applicable to specific
provisions of this title, the following words and phrases when
used in this title shall have the meanings given to them in this
section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
* * *
"Drone." An aerial vehicle that does not carry a human
operator.
* * *
Section 4. Section 2302(a.1) of Title 34 is amended to read:
§ 2302. Interference with lawful taking of wildlife or other
activities permitted by this title prohibited.
* * *
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(a.1) Activities which violate section.--A person violates
this section when he intentionally or knowingly:
(1) drives or disturbs wildlife for the purpose of
disrupting the lawful taking of wildlife where another person
is engaged in the process of lawfully taking wildlife or
other permitted activities;
(2) blocks, impedes or otherwise harasses another person
who is engaged in the process of lawfully taking wildlife or
other permitted activities;
(3) uses natural or artificial visual, aural, olfactory
or physical stimuli to affect wildlife behavior in order to
hinder or prevent the lawful taking of wildlife or other
permitted activities;
(4) creates or erects barriers with the intent to deny
ingress or egress to areas where the lawful taking of
wildlife or other permitted activities may occur;
(5) interjects himself into the line of fire;
(6) affects the condition or placement of personal or
public property intended for use in the lawful taking of
wildlife or other permitted activities in order to impair its
usefulness or prevent its use;
(7) enters or remains upon public lands or upon private
lands without permission of the owner or their agent, with
intent to violate this section; [or]
(8) fails to obey the order of any officer whose duty it
is to enforce any of the laws of this Commonwealth where such
officer observes any conduct which violates this section or
has reasonable grounds to believe that any person intends to
engage in such conduct[.]; or
(9) uses a drone in a way that interferes with another
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person who is engaged in the process of lawfully taking
wildlife or other permitted activities.
* * *
Section 5. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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