HB1280

This amendment completely rewrites the bill to shift from prohibiting drone surveillance of state military installations to instead increasing penalties for operating drones over prisons, correctional facilities, jails, and military facilities, while downgrading the violation from a Class 6 felony to a Class 1 misdemeanor and replacing detailed law enforcement interception authority with a general authorization for mitigation techniques subject to Department of Public Safety rulemaking. The bill has been substantially gutted and redirected from military installation protection toward broader correctional and military facility protection with reduced criminal penalties.

This change converts the bill from its engrossed (committee-amended) version to its enrolled (final passed) version, restoring the original penalty language that classifies unauthorized drone operation over restricted facilities as a Class 6 felony rather than a misdemeanor, while removing the "hoghouse" warning that had flagged extensive amendments to the original sponsor's intent. The substantive criminal penalty has been strengthened back to what was originally proposed.