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Read. Follow. Verify.Alabama restricts drone flights near capitol areas and expands legislative security jurisdiction
Last action · March 17, 2026: EnactedSponsor: Sam Givhan
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What This Bill Does
Legislature security personnel are now assigned to protect the new Alabama State House, adjacent parking deck, park, and off-site legislative events, while new restrictions and criminal penalties take effect for unauthorized drone operations near state capitol areas starting in 2027.
The measure establishes new criminal penalties ranging from misdemeanors to Class C felonies for unauthorized drone flights near state government property, while granting the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency the authority to jam, hack, or physically seize violating drones.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Legislative security personnel
Their assigned security jurisdiction is expanded to cover the new Alabama State House, parking deck, adjacent park, and off-site events.
Unmanned aircraft operators
They are subject to new operating restrictions, distance limitations, permit requirements, and criminal penalties near capitol areas.
The Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency
The agency is granted specific authority to neutralize, intercept, jam, hack, or seize unauthorized drones and establish rules for permitting.
Key Facts
- Security personnel employed by the House and Senate are given responsibility for securing the new Alabama State House, the legislative parking deck, the adjacent park, and official off-site legislative events.
- Using an unmanned aircraft system to conduct surveillance or record images of a capitol area for the purpose of committing a criminal offense is classified as a Class C felony.
- Using an unmanned aircraft system in the vicinity of a capitol area in a manner that interferes with operations or causes a disturbance is a Class C felony.
- Operating a drone without written permission from the Secretary of the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency within 250 horizontal and vertical feet of state property construction sites in a capitol area is a Class C misdemeanor for a first offense and a Class B misdemeanor for subsequent offenses.
Show all 8 facts
- Beginning January 1, 2027, operating an unmanned aircraft system in the vicinity of a capitol area without authorization is prohibited, punishable as a Class C misdemeanor for the first offense and a Class B misdemeanor thereafter.
- Federal and state government entities, authorized contractors, emergency responders, and individuals with written permission from the Secretary of the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency are exempt from the general 2027 drone prohibition.
- The Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency is authorized to use reasonable mitigation measures against violating drones, including jamming, hacking, physical capture, or interception, and may seize violating aircraft and dropped property.
- The Secretary of the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency may designate additional locations as capitol areas and establish permitting procedures through administrative rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is responsible for security at the new Alabama State House?
What are the penalties for flying a drone near the capitol area without permission after January 1, 2027?
What actions can law enforcement take against an illegal drone?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Became law.
Procedural history
23 actions- Mar 17, 2026SenateEnrolledEnacted
- Mar 10, 2026HouseSignature Requested
- Mar 10, 2026SenateEnrolledDelivered to Governor
- Mar 10, 2026SenateEnrolled
- Mar 10, 2026SenateReady to Enroll
- Mar 10, 2026SenateChambliss Concur In and Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 731
Show 17 earlier actions
- Mar 5, 2026HouseFloorMotion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 791
- Mar 5, 2026HouseMotion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 790
- Mar 5, 2026HousePringle 1st Amendment Offered
- Mar 5, 2026HouseMotion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 789
- Mar 5, 2026HouseState Government Engrossed Substitute Offered
- Mar 5, 2026HouseThird Reading in Second House
- Mar 5, 2026HouseCarried Over to the Call of the Chair
- Feb 19, 2026HouseRead for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
- Feb 18, 2026HouseCommitteeReported Out of Committee Second House
- Feb 12, 2026HouseCommitteePending Committee Action in Second House
- Feb 12, 2026HouseIntroducedRead for the first time and referred to the House Committee on State Government
- Feb 10, 2026SenateFloorMotion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 342
- Feb 10, 2026SenateThird Reading in House of Origin
- Feb 5, 2026SenateRead for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
- Feb 4, 2026SenateCommitteeReported Out of Committee House of Origin
- Jan 29, 2026SenateCommitteePending Committee Action in House of Origin
- Jan 29, 2026SenateIntroducedRead for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on State Governmental Affairs
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
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Sources
alison.legislature.state.al.us
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance75How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy15Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz30Current news / social attention level
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