To: The California State House, The California State Senate, and Governor Gavin Newsom
Domestic Drone Prohibition
The People of the State of California do not want civilians operating small domestic drones with cameras over their private properties. To protect our 4th Amendment rights, and the right to privacy, the People of the State of California seek to prohibit the use of domestic drones by public agencies and law enforcement except with a validly issued search warrant.
Why is this important?
The public should be concerned about this issue as there are currently no laws that govern the use of domestic drones by either civilians or public agencies. The California legislature is considering two drone bills, both of which allow drones and put enforcement into the hands of the public, a nearly impossible and unrealistic prospect. Along with privacy concerns, domestic drones present safety hazards (they can fly into each other and fall on someone's head), they promote criminality (theft, burglary and predator use), and they also present a wide range of abuse by law enforcement, particularly if they are operated for unauthorized general surveillance. Our State Assembly must enact legislation which is designed to serve the interests of the citizens not the interests of Homeland Security or law enforcement. Domestic drone use must must be closely monitored for law enforcement purposes and regulated to preserve and protect citizens' Constitutional rights otherwise a society with "Big Brother" watching could become a reality.