HB 2755: New AZ law to allow law enforcement to shoot down drug-carrying drones at the border
The Brief
A new Arizona law will help law enforcement target drug-carrying drones at the southern border.
HB 2733 shields public entities and public employees from damage liability when they intercept, capture, disable, shoot, destroy, or otherwise render inoperative a drone within 15 miles of the southern border.
Supporters say the new law is crucial in protecting Arizonans' livelihoods.
PHOENIX - A new Arizona law is helping law enforcement target drones that transport narcotics into the state,
Lawmakers say drones are being used daily to carry drugs like fentanyl into Arizona, and under the previous law, officers in the state were not allowed to target those drones.
That, however, has changed with House Bill 2733.
What we know
HB 2733, which was signed into law in April, gives officers legal protection to take down drones suspected of supporting criminal activity within 15 miles of Arizona's international border. Officers will also not be liable for any damages caused by the interception.
"A public entity or public employee is not liable to an unmanned aircraft operator for any injury to personal property caused by a peace officer intercepting, capturing, disabling, shooting, destroying or otherwise rendering inoperative an unmanned aircraft within fifteen miles of this state's international border if the peace officer had reasonable suspicion that the unmanned aircraft was being used to commit a violation of title 13, chapter 23, 34 or 34.1," read the new law.
On May 12, State Rep. David Marshall and Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes both talked about how the law will help Arizona communities, saying it's crucial in protecting Arizonans' livelihoods, and combating the opioid crisis.
What they're saying
"In 2024 alone, Arizona saw 1,479 opioid-related overdose deaths. That is 1,479 lives taken too soon, countless families changed forever because of these deadly drugs," said State Rep. Marshall (R-District 7). "When we give law enforcement the tools they need, like House Bill 2733, they are able to capture these drugs before they cause irreparable harm to our communities."
"Protecting Arizonans from the devastation of fentanyl should never, ever be a partisan issue, and this bill proves that it does not have to be," said AG Mayes.
What's next
AG Mayes said her office will also be working with the FAA to combat drones, and will provide local law enforcement with drone hammers.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Washington Post
28 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Trump's new drone orders aim to counter threats while encouraging flying cars and supersonic flights
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump wants to counter the threats drones pose to national security under new rules released Friday, while also aiming to make it easier for Americans to fly faster than the speed of sound and expedite the development of the flying cars of the future. The three executive orders will encourage the Federal Aviation Administration to expedite rules to allow companies to use drones beyond their operators' line of sight, while also imposing restrictions meant to help protect against terrorism, espionage and public safety threats.
Yahoo
41 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump's new drone orders aim to counter threats while encouraging flying cars and supersonic flights
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump wants to counter the threats drones pose to national security under new rules released Friday, while also aiming to make it easier for Americans to fly faster than the speed of sound and expedite the development of the flying cars of the future. The three executive orders will encourage the Federal Aviation Administration to expedite rules to allow companies to use drones beyond their operators' line of sight, while also imposing restrictions meant to help protect against terrorism, espionage and public safety threats. Drones are already used in a variety of ways, including bolstering search and rescue operations, applying fertilizer, inspecting power lines and railroad bridges, and even delivering packages. But the war in Ukraine has highlighted how drones could be used in a military or terrorist attack — a concern as the World Cup and Olympics approach in the U.S. There also have been espionage cases where drones have been used to surveil sensitive sites. And White House officials said drones are being used to smuggle drugs over the border, and there are concerns about the potential for a disastrous collision between a drone and an airliner around an airport. 'These orders also address the growing threat of criminal, terrorist and foreign misuse of drones in U.S. airspace. We have a responsibility to protect and restore airspace sovereignty,' said Michael Kratsios, assistant to the president and director of the White House office of Science and Technology Policy. Moving to protect the U.S. from the increasing threat of drones With major events like the World Cup scheduled in the U.S. next year, Sebastian Gorka, senior director for counterterrorism on the National Security Council, said it's crucial to protect the airspace above large public events. A federal task force will be created to review drone threats and existing terrorism task forces will look at drones. 'Drones are a disruptive technology. They have an amazing potential for both good and ill,' Gorka said. 'We will increase the enforcement of current laws to deter two types of individuals: evildoers and idiots — the clueless and the careless.' The orders direct the FAA to expedite a new rule restricting drone flights over sensitive sites and work with the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security to better enforce laws on illegal drone use. The FAA has been testing systems to detect and counter drones that the White House would like to expand to deal with threats to public safety and national security. Among the methods being examined: Using radio signals to jam drones or force them to land. Authorities are weighing whether to deploy high-powered microwaves or laser beams to disable the devices. The order will allow state and local authorities to be trained to respond to unauthorized drones and expand the government's ability to counter them. Law enforcement agencies also may receive additional training on how to use drones themselves to ensure safety around major events. Trump aims to clear the way for supersonic flights and flying cars One of Trump's orders directs the FAA to eliminate the old restriction on the speed of flights and replace it with a noise standard. New technology in supersonic aircraft can allow the planes to fly faster than the speed of sound without a disruptive sonic boom being heard on the ground, but decades-old regulations still ban those flights over land. A plane developed by Boom Supersonic became the first independently funded jet to break the sound barrier this year. 'The reality is that Americans should be able to fly from New York to LA in under four hours,' Kratsios said. 'Advances in aerospace engineering, material science and noise reduction now make overland supersonic flight not just possible, but safe, sustainable and commercially viable.' Several companies are developing flying cars for use as taxis and delivering cargo. They are likely still at least a couple years away from being ready, but orders are designed to remove regulatory barriers to their development. 'Flying cars are not just for 'The Jetsons.'' 'They're also for the American people,' Kratsios said. Blake Scholl, founder and CEO of Boom Supersonic, said a renaissance in supersonic passenger travel is made inevitable with the repeal of the ban. 'We're grateful to President Trump for his leadership — this important step allows us to accelerate development of our Overture supersonic airliner,' Scholl said. Concerns grow in the U.S. about Chinese drones The executive orders don't ban Chinese-made drones, including those by DJI that are popular in the U.S., but the Trump administration said it will prioritize American-made drones in federal procurement programs and open up grants to help state and local first responders buy U.S. drones. The White House said it would seek to reduce the U.S. reliance on foreign-made drones and restrict foreign devices in sensitive areas. 'This executive order marks a long-overdue investment in drone deterrence,' said Craig Singleton, a senior China fellow at the Washington-based think tank Foundation for Defense of Democracies. 'Drone warfare isn't a future threat — it's already here.' The administration also is mandating national security reviews of some Chinese drone makers. That 'underscores that drone supply chains ... are now national security flashpoints,' Singleton said. The orders also tighten rules on wireless transmission tech, which Singleton said would disrupt the ability by Chinese drones to transmit data back to Beijing. States and the federal government are increasingly wary about Chinese technology, and at least six states have passed laws to restrict government purchases of Chinese drones because of concerns about spying. That's part of a slew of more than 240 anti-China measures state legislatures have considered this year. Congress has also banned federal agencies from acquiring Chinese drones, with some exceptions. But most commercial drones sold in the United States are made in China, and many Americans have come to rely on them. The Chinese models are widely known for their high performance and are generally significantly cheaper than American-made drones. Expanding the range of drones outside users' field of vision The FAA has generally prohibited drones from operating outside operators' line of sight because of safety concerns, but the agency has granted hundreds of waivers to Amazon and some other companies, including utilities and railroads, to use drones farther away. Drone manufacturers and users have long wanted rules that spell out the framework for such flights because they see that as a natural next step to unlock the technology's potential. The head of the trade advocacy group Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International, or AUVSI, testified to Congress this week that the FAA missed a deadline for approving such rules last year. On Friday, Michael Robbins, chief executive officer of AUVSI, applauded the Trump administration for advancing policies that he said would ensure U.S. leadership in drone innovation, security, operation and manufacturing. He called it 'a historic day for the drone industry in the United States.' ___ Funk reported from Omaha, Nebraska. Associated Press writer Leah Askarinam contributed from Washington. Josh Funk And Didi Tang, The Associated Press Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Trump brings the BOOM! New order opens skies across US to supersonic flights
President Donald Trump has ordered the Federal Aviation Administration to scrap a longstanding ban on supersonic air travel across the U.S. and replace it with a to-be-determined set of regulations that will allow faster-than-sound travel so long as the sonic booms it creates do not breach certain noise limitations. In an executive order signed on Friday, Trump directed the FAA administrator to begin the process of repealing a section of the Code of Federal Regulations that prohibits anyone in the United States from flying a civilian aircraft 'at a true flight Mach number greater than 1.' That regulation was imposed in April 1973, at a time when the British and French governments were jointly developing Concorde, a supersonic airliner that had a cruising speed in excess of Mach 2, or twice the speed of sound. Because aircraft that break the sound barrier create shockwaves that produce loud sounds, known as sonic booms, the U.S. government banned supersonic flight over the U.S. out of concern over disruptive noise from supersonic jets criss-crossing the country. As a result, Concorde was limited to subsonic speeds when arriving or leaving American airports, only crossing the sound barrier during transit over the Atlantic Ocean on routes between New York's JFK airport and London. Michael Kratsios, the director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, told reporters that Trump's order 'seeks to revolutionize supersonic aviation in the United States' by allowing for modern aircraft to fly faster than sound over the continental U.S. 'The US used to be the global leader in this technology, but stifling regulations have grounded progress for generations. The reality is that Americans should be able to fly from New York to LA in under four hours,' he said. Kratsios added that 'advances in aerospace engineering, material science and noise reduction' by new startups working on faster-than-sound passenger aircraft can make supersonic travel 'safe, sustainable and commercially viable' and noted that the longstanding American ban on such flights had ' grounded supersonic passenger flight and weakened our global competitiveness in aviation.' 'Today's order fixes that,' he said. Trump's order comes just weeks after a pair of Republicans in Congress, Rep. Troy Nehls of Texas and Senator Ted Budd of North Carolina, introduced legislation to direct the FAA to repeal and replace the current supersonic flight ban within a year. That legislation will no longer be necessary, as the Trump executive order directs the FAA to withdraw the ban within 180 days and launch a notice-and-comment period for replacement regulations that would be based on a noise standard rather than a strict speed limit. According to a senior administration official, the function of the new regulations would be 'to replace the effective speed standard with instead an interim noise standard, and then to have a longer term process to publish a Notice of Proposed Rule Making to result in a final rule.' That process would be 'coordinated through the White House [and] through the National Science and Technology Council' and would be based on research and development that has been going on at NASA, the Department of Defense, and 'elsewhere within the federal government,' the official said. Trump's effort to enable supersonic flight across the U.S. follows the success of the first flight of a civilian supersonic aircraft since Concorde 216 (registered as G-BOAF) made its' final flight to Bristol Filton Airport in 2003. In January, Boom Supersonic's XB-1 aircraft reached a speed of Mach 1.122 during a 34-minute flight over California's Mojave Desert. The test flight, just eight days into Trump's second term, produced no audible sonic boom — or at least not one that was heard from the ground during the flight. The company says its' proposed Overture passenger jet will cut a trip from Los Angeles to Washington to three hours and 15 minutes, more than an hour less than the current duration of such a flight, while producing no sonic booms that are audible from the ground. It attributes this to atmospheric effects that cause the sound to reflect off layers in the atmosphere and travel upward, rather than downward. It also claims to be able to cut flights over water by even more time by reaching even higher speeds.
