HF 1396

2nd Engrossment - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026) Posted on 04/10/2025 04:49pm

A bill for an act
relating to public safety; expanding the permitted uses of unmanned aerial vehicles
by law enforcement; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 626.19,
subdivision 3.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 626.19, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3.

Authorized use.

A law enforcement agency may use a UAV:

(1) during or in the aftermath of an emergency situation that involves the risk of death
or bodily harm to a person;

(2) new text begin to document evidence that is at imminent risk of destruction;
new text end

new text begin (3) new text end over a public event where there is a heightened risk to the safety of participants or
bystanders;

new text begin (4) to assist in the lawful pursuit of a suspect who: (i) law enforcement has probable
cause to believe has committed either a crime against persons or a felony; and (ii) is fleeing
from law enforcement;
new text end

deleted text begin (3) deleted text end new text begin (5) new text end to counter the risk of a terrorist attack by a specific individual or organization if
the agency determines that credible intelligence indicates a risk;

deleted text begin (4) deleted text end new text begin (6) new text end to prevent the loss of life and property in natural or man-made disasters and to
facilitate operational planning, rescue, and recovery operations in the aftermath of these
disasters;

deleted text begin (5) deleted text end new text begin (7) new text end to conduct a threat assessment in anticipation of a specific event;

deleted text begin (6) deleted text end new text begin (8) new text end to collect information from a public area if there is reasonable suspicion of criminal
activity;

deleted text begin (7) deleted text end new text begin (9) new text end to collect information for crash reconstruction purposes after a serious or deadly
collision occurring on a public road;

deleted text begin (8) deleted text end new text begin (10) new text end over a new text begin private area with the written consent of the occupant or a new text end public area for
officer training or public relations purposes; deleted text begin and
deleted text end

deleted text begin (9) deleted text end new text begin (11) new text end for purposes unrelated to law enforcement at the request of a government entity
provided that the government entity makes the request in writing to the law enforcement
agency and specifies the reason for the request and proposed period of use new text begin ; and
new text end

new text begin (12) to facilitate the active search for a missing person that involves risk of death or
bodily harm to a person new text end .