89R10384 JCG-D
By: Leach H.B. No. 2916
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to criminal and civil liability for disabling, damaging,
or destroying an unmanned aircraft.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 423, Government Code, is amended by
adding Section 423.010 to read as follows:
Sec. 423.010. AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE: DISABLING, DAMAGING, OR
DESTROYING UNMANNED AIRCRAFT. It is an affirmative defense to
prosecution for an offense involving damage or destruction of
property under Section 28.03 or 28.04, Penal Code, or to civil
liability for the damage or destruction of an unmanned aircraft
that the person:
(1) was on property owned or legally occupied by the
person;
(2) used a firearm legally possessed by the person to
disable, damage, or destroy an unmanned aircraft that the person
did not authorize to be on or over the property; and
(3) was not prohibited from discharging the firearm
under Section 42.12, Penal Code, other law or local regulation, or a
dedicatory instrument governing use of the property.
SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only
to conduct that occurs on or after the effective date of this Act.
Conduct that occurs before the effective date of this Act is
governed by the law in effect on the date the conduct occurred, and
the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For
purposes of this section, conduct occurs before the effective date
of this Act if any element of the conduct occurs before the
effective date.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.