Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H3618 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2215 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3618
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Bruce J. Ayers
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act regulating the flight of unmanned aircraft/drones in the airspace over all early,
13	13	elementary and secondary education facilities in the Commonwealth.
14	14	_______________
15	15	PETITION OF:
16	16	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Bruce J. Ayers1st Norfolk1/15/2025 1 of 2
17	17	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2215 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
18	18	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3618
19	19	By Representative Ayers of Quincy, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3618) of Bruce
20	20	J. Ayers relative to the flight of unmanned aircraft drones in the airspace over early, elementary
21	21	and secondary educational facilities. Transportation.
22	22	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
23	23	SEE HOUSE, NO. 3256 OF 2023-2024.]
24	24	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
25	25	_______________
26	26	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
27	27	(2025-2026)
28	28	_______________
29	29	An Act regulating the flight of unmanned aircraft/drones in the airspace over all early,
30	30	elementary and secondary education facilities in the Commonwealth.
31	31	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
32	32	of the same, as follows:
33	33	1 Chapter 90 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-
34	34	2 Section 64. (a) As used in this section the following terms shall, unless the context clearly
35	35	3requires otherwise, have the following meanings:-
36	36	4 “School zone”, on or within 50 feet of the real property comprising a public or private
37	37	5accredited preschool, accredited Head Start facility, elementary, vocational or secondary school.
38	38	6 “Small unmanned aircraft”, an unmanned aircraft weighing less than 55 pounds on
39	39	7takeoff, including everything that is on board or otherwise attached to the aircraft. 2 of 2
40	40	8 “Small unmanned aircraft system”, a small unmanned aircraft and its associated
41	41	9elements, including communication links and the components that control the small unmanned
42	42	10aircraft, that are required for the safe and efficient operation of the small unmanned aircraft.
43	43	11 “Unmanned aircraft”, an aircraft operated without the possibility of direct human
44	44	12intervention from within or on the aircraft.
45	45	13 (b) No person shall operate a small unmanned aircraft system within a vertical distance of
46	46	14400 feet in a school zone without authorization by the superintendent of schools.
47	47	15 (c) Whoever willfully operates a small unmanned aircraft system in violation of
48	48	16subsection (b) shall be punished by a fine of not more than $250 for the first offense, a fine of
49	49	17not more than $500 for a second offense, and a fine of not more than $750 and the small
50	50	18unmanned aircraft system shall be confiscated by the commonwealth and destroyed for a third or
51	51	19subsequent offense.