Drone Bill Passes Senate On Second Try

A day after rejecting a bill that would regulate certain drones in Louisiana, Baton Rouge Sen. Dan Claitor ended up getting enough votes to advance his legislation Tuesday.

SB330 would prohibit unmanned flying devices from taking pictures of private property with several exceptions.

Claitor, a Republican, said he wants laws to keep up with technology.

"The purpose of this bill," Claitor said, "is on the very basic level of: Should someone be able to take a look in your backyard and through your back window simply because they have the technology to do it?"

Claitor said buying a device that can fly into someone's yard and look around is extremely easy and relatively inexpensive.

The legislation failed Monday by a vote of 21-15, but passed yesterday 22-16.

New Orleans Sen. Karen Carter Peterson, a Democrat, said technology can't stop from happening.

"I don't think we can accomplish what you're trying to accomplish with this bill," said Peterson. "People can accomplish exactly what you're trying to prohibit, just not with a drone."

Claitor said he decided to bring up the bill again so he could better explain it.

He went over some of the exceptions to the law, which include allowing drones to be used in agriculture, crime-scene processing, television filming and more.

Claitor said his bill would also prohibit distribution of images captured with a drone.

"So when I fly into Senator Nevers' backyard, I can take a picture, and I can send it immediately to the Internet — if I wish to — through the handy dandy application," Claitor said. "It is a lower level penalty when you distribute it."

The bill now heads to the House.