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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3717 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1488
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Michael J. Finn
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act relative to unmanned aerial vehicles.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Michael J. Finn6th Hampden1/20/2023 1 of 3
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3717 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1488
By Representative Finn of West Springfield, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1488)
of Michael J. Finn relative to penalties for unauthorized use of unmanned aerial vehicles. The
Judiciary.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 1566 OF 2021-2022.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act relative to unmanned aerial vehicles.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 Chapter 269 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-
2 Section 20. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall, unless context clearly
3requires otherwise, have the following meanings:-
4 “Critical infrastructure facility”, if completely enclosed by a fence or other physical
5barrier designed to exclude intruders, or if marked with a sign conspicuously posted on the
6property that indicates that entry is forbidden: (i) a petroleum or alumina refinery; (ii) an
7electrical power generating facility, substation, switching station or electrical control center; (iii)
8a chemical, polymer or rubber manufacturing facility; (iv) a water intake structure, water
9treatment facility, wastewater treatment plant or pump station; (v) a natural gas compressor 2 of 3
10station; (vi) a liquid natural gas terminal or storage facility; (vii) a telecommunications central
11switching office; (viii) a port, railroad switching yard, trucking terminal or other freight
12transportation facility; (ix) a gas processing plant, including a plant used in the processing,
13treatment or fractionation of natural gas; (x) a transmission facility used by a federally licensed
14radio or television station; (xi) a steelmaking facility that uses an electric arc furnace to make
15steel; (xii) any portion of an aboveground oil, gas or chemical pipeline; or (xiii) a correctional
16facility or law enforcement facility.
17 “Unmanned aerial vehicle”, an aircraft that is operated without the possibility of direct
18human intervention from within or on the aircraft.
19 (b) Whoever, without lawful authority, weaponizes an unmanned aerial vehicle or
20operates a weaponized unmanned aerial vehicle shall be punished by imprisonment in the state
21prison for not less than 3 years nor more than 20 years or imprisonment in the house of
22correction for not less than 6 months nor more than 2 ½ years, or by fine of not less than $1,000
23nor more than $50,000, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
24 (c) Whoever willfully uses an unmanned aerial vehicle to photograph, videotape or
25electronically surveil another person when the other person in such place and circumstance
26would have a reasonable expectation of privacy in not being so photographed, videotaped or
27electronically surveilled, and without that person's knowledge and consent, shall be punished by
28imprisonment in the house of correction for not more than 2 ½ years or by a fine of not more
29than $5,000, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
30 (d) Whoever, without lawful authority, willfully uses an unmanned aerial vehicle to
31photograph, videotape or electronically surveil a critical infrastructure facility, shall be punished 3 of 3
32by imprisonment in the house of correction for not more than 2 ½ years or by a fine of not more
33than $5,000, or by both such fine and imprisonment.