HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Connecticut lawmakers handed emergency laws this week prohibiting state companies and municipalities from buying or utilizing Chinese language and Russian drones whereas additionally imposing restrictions on the place drones will be operated within the state.
The invoice comes amid bipartisan concern in Washington about attainable threats to U.S. nationwide safety posed by foreign-adversary drones. A number of states, together with Tennessee and Florida, have already restricted the usage of Chinese language drones by their public companies, together with police and fireplace departments.
Underneath Connecticut’s invoice, which strikes to Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont’s desk, sure state companies and municipalities, in addition to entities that contract with them, will probably be barred from buying prohibited drones after Oct. 1, 2026, and from utilizing them after Oct. 1, 2028.
The state’s Division Emergency Providers and Public Safety, which incorporates the State Police, is prohibited from buying the drones starting this 12 months, after Oct. 1. The company already applied such a coverage final 12 months.
The invoice bars folks from working a drone lower than 250 toes above a essential infrastructure facility, similar to {an electrical} era facility or a jail. Violators may resist almost a 12 months in jail, a superb of as much as $2,000 or each. There are exceptions for employees utilizing drones at these places as a part of their jobs.
Drones additionally can’t be geared up with lethal weapons or incendiary units, below this laws.
Photograph: Seth Simonson, assistant professor on the North Dakota State School, holds a Chinese language-manufactured drone the faculty primarily makes use of for pilot coaching and photograph and video accumulating by college students. (AP Photograph/Jack Dura)
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