84R24832 JRR-D

By: Murphy, Herrero H.B. No. 1481

Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1481:

By: Herrero C.S.H.B. No. 1481

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to prohibiting the operation of an unmanned aircraft over certain facilities; creating a criminal offense.

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

SECTION 1. Chapter 423, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 423.0045 to read as follows:

Sec. 423.0045. OFFENSE: OPERATION OF UNMANNED AIRCRAFT OVER CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE FACILITY. (a) In this section:

(1) "Critical infrastructure facility" means one of the following, if completely enclosed by a fence or other physical barrier that is obviously designed to exclude intruders, or if clearly marked with a sign or signs that are posted on the property, are reasonably likely to come to the attention of intruders, and indicate that entry is forbidden:

(A) a petroleum or alumina refinery;

(B) an electrical power generating facility, substation, switching station, or electrical control center;

(C) an above-ground oil, gas, or chemical pipeline;

(D) a chemical, polymer, or rubber manufacturing facility;

(E) a water intake structure, water treatment facility, wastewater treatment plant, or pump station;

(F) a natural gas compressor station;

(G) a liquid natural gas terminal or storage facility;

(H) a telecommunications central switching office;

(I) a port, railroad switching yard, trucking terminal, or other freight transportation facility;

(J) a gas processing plant, including a plant used in the processing, treatment, or fractionation of natural gas;

(K) a transmission facility used by a federally licensed radio or television station;

(L) a steelmaking facility that uses an electric arc furnace to make steel; or

(M) a dam that is classified as a high hazard by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

(2) "Dam" means any barrier, including any appurtenant structures, that is constructed for the purpose of permanently or temporarily impounding water.

(b) A person commits an offense if the person intentionally or knowingly:

(1) operates an unmanned aircraft over a critical infrastructure facility and the unmanned aircraft is not higher than 400 feet above ground level;

(2) allows an unmanned aircraft to make contact with a critical infrastructure facility, including any person or object on the premises of or within the facility; or

(3) allows an unmanned aircraft to come within a distance of a critical infrastructure facility that is close enough to interfere with the operations of or cause a disturbance to the facility.

(c) This section does not apply to conduct described by Subsection (b) that is committed by:

(1) the federal government, the state, or a governmental entity;

(2) a person under contract with or otherwise acting under the direction or on behalf of the federal government, the state, or a governmental entity;

(3) a law enforcement agency;

(4) a person under contract with or otherwise acting under the direction or on behalf of a law enforcement agency;

(5) an owner or operator of the critical infrastructure facility;

(6) a person under contract with or otherwise acting under the direction or on behalf of an owner or operator of the critical infrastructure facility;

(7) a person who has the prior written consent of the owner or operator of the critical infrastructure facility; or

(8) an operator of an unmanned aircraft that is being used for a commercial purpose, if the operator is authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration to conduct operations over that airspace.

(d) An offense under this section is a Class B misdemeanor, except that the offense is a Class A misdemeanor if the actor has previously been convicted under this section.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.