| 12 | 13 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1 |
|---|
| 13 | 14 | | AN ACT PROVIDING THAT THE STATE AND POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS OF THE 2 |
|---|
| 14 | 15 | | STATE SHALL NOT PURCHASE ANY SMALL UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM 3 |
|---|
| 15 | 16 | | MANUFACTURED OR ASSEMBLED BY CERTAIN FOREIGN VENDORS. 4 |
|---|
| 16 | 17 | | The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 5 |
|---|
| 17 | 18 | | SECTION 1. Article 3 of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes is amended by adding 6 |
|---|
| 18 | 19 | | a new section to read: 7 |
|---|
| 19 | 20 | | "§143-59.5. Purchase of small unmanned aircraft from covered foreign entities. 8 |
|---|
| 20 | 21 | | (a) Neither the State nor any political subdivision of the State shall purchase or otherwise 9 |
|---|
| 21 | 22 | | acquire any small, unmanned aircraft system manufactured or assembled by a covered foreign 10 |
|---|
| 22 | 23 | | entity. No State funds may be used in connection with the purchase or acquisition of any small, 11 |
|---|
| 23 | 24 | | unmanned aircraft system manufactured or assembled by a covered foreign entity, including any 12 |
|---|
| 24 | 25 | | State funds provided through a contract, grant, or cooperative agreement. 13 |
|---|
| 25 | 26 | | (b) For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply: 14 |
|---|
| 26 | 27 | | (1) Covered foreign entity. – An individual, foreign government, or party that 15 |
|---|
| 27 | 28 | | meets one or more of the following criteria: 16 |
|---|
| 28 | 29 | | a. Is on the United State's Consolidated Screening List or Entity List. 17 |
|---|
| 29 | 30 | | b. Is domiciled in the People's Republic of China or the Russian 18 |
|---|
| 30 | 31 | | Federation. 19 |
|---|
| 31 | 32 | | c. Is under the influence or control of the government of the People's 20 |
|---|
| 32 | 33 | | Republic of China or the Russian Federation. 21 |
|---|
| 33 | 34 | | d. Is a subsidiary or affiliate of an individual, government, or party of the 22 |
|---|
| 34 | 35 | | People's Republic of China or the Russian Federation. 23 |
|---|
| 35 | 36 | | (2) Small, unmanned aircraft system. – An unmanned, powered aircraft that meets 24 |
|---|
| 36 | 37 | | all of the following criteria: 25 |
|---|
| 37 | 38 | | a. Is operated without the possibility of direct human intervention from 26 |
|---|
| 38 | 39 | | on or within the aircraft. 27 |
|---|
| 39 | 40 | | b. Can be expendable or recoverable. 28 |
|---|
| 40 | 41 | | c. Weighs less than 55 pounds, including the weight of anything attached 29 |
|---|
| 41 | 42 | | to or carried by the aircraft. 30 |
|---|
| 42 | 43 | | SECTION 2. This act is effective when it becomes law and applies to small, 31 |
|---|
| 43 | 44 | | unmanned aircraft purchased on or after July 1, 2027. 32 |
|---|