Cautions Legislators About 'Creating New Crimes'

California Governor Jerry Brown (D) has vetoed three bills that would have restricted where UAVs could be flown, including over wildfires despite recent reports of aerial firefighting operations being suspended because of unauthorized flights.

The Los Angeles Times reports that Brown's principle objection to the bills is that they created new categories of crimes. "Each of these bills creates a new crime -- usually by finding a novel way to characterize and criminalize conduct that is already proscribed. This multiplication and particularization of criminal behavior creates increasing complexity without commensurate benefit," Brown wrote in his veto message.

One of the bills vetoed would have set high fines for flying a UAV in the area of a wildfire, an issue that has grounded aerial firefighting planes several times this year. It would have imposed a fine of $5,000 and up to six months in jail for a UAV operator, and given officials immunity from liability for damage caused to a private UAV that was forced down by jamming radio signals.

The other bills vetoed by Brown would have prevented UAVs from being flown over K-12 schools to protect student privacy, and flying the aircraft over prisons and jails. That was apparently in response to incidents in which contraband was delivered to inmates using the aircraft.

In his veto message, Brown said "Over the last several decades, California's criminal code has grown to more than 5,000 provisions covering every almost conceivable form of human misbehavior.

"During the same period, our jail and prison populations have exploded.

"Before we keep going down this road, I think we should pause and reflect how our system of criminal justice could be made more human, more just and more cost-effective."

(Image of Gov. Jerry Brown from file)

FMI: https://www.gov.ca.gov/home.php