Salvador Rizzo reports that the New Jersey Senate passed S2702 by a vote of 36-0 on Thursday.
The Senate measure (S2702) would let state, county and local police and fire departments and offices of emergency management deploy the drones, with some restrictions.
Officials would be able to use the devices in criminal investigations and events that “substantially endanger the health, safety and property of the citizens of this state,” including high-risk and missing-person searches, fires and forest fires, hurricanes, floods, droughts, explosions, acts of terrorism and civil disorder.
In each case, the agency chief would have to approve the drone’s use. Departments would have to log each time they used a drone and for what purpose, and submit that information yearly along with maintenance reports to the state attorney general.
Read more on NJ.com. The bill goes to the Assembly now.