CompTIA welcomes the news that Governor Jerry Brown (D-CA) has vetoed SB 142, the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle bill.
SB 142 barred, with very limited exceptions, all drone use below three hundred and fifty feet and sought to significantly expand the private right of action for trespass. While the stated intent of the bill, to protect individual privacy against intrusive eavesdropping activity, is a sensible and achievable policy goal, as written, the language was overly broad, created a liability trap for well-intentioned actors, and could have severely restricted legitimate uses of this developing unmanned aerial vehicle technology.
In his veto message, Governor Brown wrote, “Drone technology certainly raises novel issues that merit careful examination. This bill, however, while well-intentioned, could expose the occasional hobbyist and the FAA-approved commercial user alike to burdensome litigation and new causes of action.”
Read more about the Governor Brown’s veto:
http://www.theverge.com/2015/9/10/9300823/california-governor-drone-bill-veto
