Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
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State of Arkansas 1
95th General Assembly A Bill 2
Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1504 3
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By: Representative S. Meeks 5
By: Senator M. Johnson 6
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For An Act To Be Entitled 8
AN ACT TO CREATE THE OFFENSE OF MANUFACTURING, 9
MODIFYING, SELLING, TRANSFERRING, OR OPERATING A 10
ROBOTIC DEVICE OR AN UNCREWED AIRCRAFT THAT IS 11
EQUIPPED OR MOUNTED WITH A WEAPON; AND FOR OTHER 12
PURPOSES. 13
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Subtitle 16
TO CREATE THE OFFENSE OF MANUFACTURING, 17
MODIFYING, SELLING, TRANSFERRING, OR 18
OPERATING A ROBOTIC DEVICE OR AN 19
UNCREWED AIRCRAFT THAT IS EQUIPPED OR 20
MOUNTED WITH A WEAPON. 21
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 23
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SECTION 1. Arkansas Code Title 5, Subtitle 6, is amended to add an 25
additional chapter to read as follows: 26
Chapter 80 — Robotic Devices and Uncrewed Aircraft 27
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5-80-101. Definitions. 29
As used in this chapter: 30
(1) "Robotic device" means a mechanical device that: 31
(A) Is capable of locomotion, navigation, or movement on 32
the ground; and 33
(B) Operates at a distance from its operator based on 34
commands or in response to sensor data or a combination of commands and 35
response to sensor data; 36 HB1504
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(2) "Uncrewed aircraft" means an aircraft, as defined by § 5 -75-1
101, that is operated without the possibility of direct human operation or 2
intervention from within or on the aircraft; and 3
(3) "Weapon" means a device that is designed to threaten or 4
cause death, incapacitation, or physical injury to a person, including 5
without limitation: 6
(A) A stun gun; 7
(B) A firearm; 8
(C) A machine gun; 9
(D) A chemical agent or irritant; 10
(E) A kinetic impact projectile; 11
(F) A weaponized laser; and 12
(G) An explosive device. 13
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5-80-102. Unlawful acts. 15
(a) It is unlawful for a person knowingly to manufacture, modify, 16
sell, transfer, or operate a robotic device equipped or mounted with a weapon 17
or an uncrewed aircraft equipped or mounted with a weapon. 18
(b) It is unlawful for a person knowingly to use a robotic device or 19
an uncrewed aircraft to: 20
(1) Commit the offense of terroristic threatening under § 5 -13-21
301 et seq.; or 22
(2) Commit the offense of harassment under § 5 -71-208. 23
(c) It is unlawful for a person knowingly to use a robotic device or 24
an uncrewed aircraft to physically restrain or to attempt to physically 25
restrain a human being. 26
(d) A person who commits an offense under this section is guilty of a 27
violation and upon conviction shall be fined in a sum of not less than five 28
thousand dollars ($5,000) nor more than twenty -five thousand dollars 29
($25,000). 30
(e) A person who knowingly uses or directs a robotic device equipped 31
or mounted with a weapon or an uncrewed aircraft equipped or mounted with a 32
weapon to commit or facilitate the commission of another offense shall be 33
held criminally liable for that offense as if the person had personally 34
committed the act. 35
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5-80-103. Exceptions. 1
(a) This chapter shall not apply to: 2
(1) A defense industrial company that is under contract with the 3
United States Department of Defense with respect to robotic devices and 4
uncrewed aircraft being developed or produced under that contract; 5
(2) A defense industrial company that obtains a waiver from the 6
Attorney General regarding robotic devices and uncrewed aircraft; or 7
(3) A robotics company that obtains a waiver from the Attorney 8
General for the purpose of testing anti -weaponization technologies with 9
respect to robotic devices and uncrewed aircraft. 10
(b) It shall not be a violation of this chapter for an individual 11
employed by the United States Government, the state, or an accredited bomb 12
squad who is acting in the public performance of his or her duties to operate 13
a robotic device that is equipped or mounted with a weapon or an uncrewed 14
aircraft that is equipped or mounted with a weapon if the individual employed 15
by the United States Government, the state, or an accredited bomb squad is 16
doing so for the purpose of: 17
(1) Disposing of explosives or suspected explosives; 18
(2) Developing, evaluating, testing, providing education on, or 19
providing training on a robotic device or an uncrewed aircraft for the 20
purpose of disposing of explosives or suspected explosives; or 21
(3) Destroying property in cases where there is an imminent, 22
deadly threat to human life. 23
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5-80-104. Law enforcement — Duties. 25
A law enforcement agency shall obtain a warrant or other legally 26
required judicial authorization before the law enforcement agency may: 27
(1) Deploy a robotic device onto private property in a situation 28
in which a warrant or other legally required judicial authorization would be 29
required if the entry onto the private property were made by a human law 30
enforcement officer; or 31
(2) Deploy a robotic device to conduct surveillance or location 32
tracking in a situation in which a warrant or other legally required judicial 33
authorization would be required if the surveillance or location tracking were 34
conducted by a human law enforcement officer or a form of technology. 35
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SECTION 2. Arkansas Code Title 16, Chapter 118 is amended to add an 1
additional section to read as follows: 2
16-118-119. Civil action for unlawful use of robotic device or 3
uncrewed aircraft. 4
(a) The Attorney General may bring an action against a person who is 5
suspected of violating this chapter. 6
(b)(1) A person whose property or person is injured by reason of a 7
violation of § 5-80-101 et seq. or rules promulgated pursuant to § 5 -80-101 8
et seq. may sue for the injury and recover for any damages sustained and the 9
costs of the suit. 10
(2) A civil action brought under subdivision (b)(1) of this 11
section shall be brought against the government agency alleged to have 12
violated this chapter, or, in the case of an individual, to the person 13
alleged to have violated this chapter. 14
(3) In a civil action in which the plaintiff prevails, a court 15
may award: 16
(A) Liquidated damages of not less than five hundred 17
dollars ($500) nor more than two thousand dollars ($2,000); 18
(B) Punitive damages; or 19
(C) Any other relief that the court deems appropriate, 20
including without limitation injunctive relief. 21
(4) In a civil action in which the plaintiff prevails, a court 22
shall award reasonable attorney's fees and costs. 23
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