Legislation from GOP authors would broaden a prohibition on where drones can be operated in the state to include areas above “critical utility facilities” such as power plants.
The legislation is from Sen. Cory Tomczyk of Mosinee and Rep. Bob Donovan of Greenfield. It aims to strengthen “protections for Wisconsin’s essential utilities to prevent and deter threats against the public’s safety and critical infrastructure statewide,” they wrote in the co-sponsorship memo.
Under current law, the “unauthorized, noncommercial operation” of a drone over a correctional institution is not allowed, and comes with a financial penalty of up to $5,000.
Their bill would expand that ban to include water reclamation facilities, gas or electric power plants, telecommunications carrier plants and equipment, as well as public water system facilities, the memo shows. The legislation would prohibit the operation of a drone less than 300 feet over or within 500 feet of these facilities.
Friday’s memo references an incident from June 2024 in which staff at Milwaukee’s Jones Island Water Reclamation Facility found the remains of a crashed drone ahead of the Republican National Convention coming to the state. It was reported to the Department of Homeland Security.
“This situation highlights the rise and prevalence of drones in addition to security concerns they pose over critical infrastructure,” authors wrote.
The co-sponsorship deadline is 5 p.m. Dec. 5.
See the bill text.
