HR 96 · 119th CongressIn Committee

Buzz Off Act

Latest updateJan 3, 2025

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Armed Forces and National Security

Sponsor

Andy Biggs

Introduced

January 3, 2025

Latest action

January 3, 2025

Legislative Progress

How far this bill has traveled through Congress

Introduced

Bill filed in chamber

Committee

Reviewed & reported

Passed Chamber

House or Senate vote

Passed Both

House & Senate agree

President

Sent to White House

Enacted

Signed into law

Introduced

Bill filed in chamber

Committee

Reviewed & reported

Passed Chamber

House or Senate vote

Passed Both

House & Senate agree

President

Sent to White House

Enacted

Signed into law

Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Plain-Language Summary

AI Generated

Federal law enforcement agencies currently operate under a patchwork of regulations governing drone surveillance. While some statutes restrict certain surveillance activities, no comprehensive federal prohibition exists on the use of unmanned aerial vehicles to monitor specific U.S. citizens or their private property. Agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Department of Homeland Security have used drones for surveillance purposes, sometimes with limited judicial oversight. The absence of clear statutory restrictions has raised concerns among privacy advocates and lawmakers about the scope and frequency of such monitoring.

The Buzz Off Act prohibits federal law enforcement agencies from using unmanned aerial vehicles to intentionally conduct surveillance of, gather evidence about, or photograph or electronically record a specifically targeted U.S. citizen or their private property. The bill establishes two exceptions: the President, acting through the Secretary of Homeland Security, may authorize drone surveillance if the Secretary certifies in writing under oath that surveillance is necessary to counter a high risk of terrorist attack by a specific individual or organization; and any federal law enforcement agency may use drones if a judge first issues a search warrant authorizing the surveillance.

The prohibition takes effect upon enactment and applies to all federal law enforcement agencies. Agencies must immediately cease targeted drone surveillance operations that lack either presidential authorization with Secretary of Homeland Security certification or a judicial search warrant. The bill does not require new funding or create new administrative structures. Existing surveillance programs would need to be restructured to comply with the warrant requirement or presidential authorization standard, potentially affecting ongoing investigations and requiring agencies to seek judicial approval for drone operations previously conducted without such oversight.

Key Provisions

1Prohibits federal law enforcement agencies from using unmanned aerial vehicles to intentionally conduct surveillance of, gather evidence about, or photograph or electronically record a specifically targeted United States citizen or their private property.
2Establishes an exception allowing drone surveillance if the President, acting through the Secretary of Homeland Security, certifies in writing under oath that surveillance is necessary to counter a high risk of terrorist attack by a specific individual or organization.
3Establishes an exception allowing federal law enforcement agencies to use unmanned aerial vehicles if a judge first issues a search warrant authorizing the surveillance.
4Permits federal law enforcement agencies to photograph or record a United States citizen for public dissemination purposes only if the agency obtains written consent from the citizen.

★ Why this matters

The bill creates a statutory floor for drone surveillance by federal law enforcement, requiring either judicial approval or presidential authorization for targeted monitoring of specific citizens. This changes current practice by eliminating surveillance operations that proceed without either a search warrant or high-level executive certification. Agencies would need to seek judicial warrants for drone operations previously conducted under administrative authority alone. The requirement for presidential certification in terrorism cases establishes a formal accountability mechanism at the executive level.

● Who this affects

Federal law enforcement agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Department of Homeland Security would face new operational constraints on drone deployment. U.S. citizens targeted by law enforcement investigations would gain statutory protection against warrantless drone surveillance. Federal judges would receive additional warrant applications related to drone surveillance requests. State and local law enforcement agencies are not directly affected, as the bill applies only to federal agencies. Privacy advocates and civil liberties organizations have supported similar restrictions.

Bill Text

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<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 H. R. 96

  To prevent agencies from using unmanned aerial vehicles to conduct 
    surveillance of United States citizens, and for other purposes.

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 3, 2025

Mr. Biggs of Arizona introduced the following bill; which was referred 
                   to the Committee on the Judiciary

                                 A BILL

 
  To prevent agencies from using unmanned aerial vehicles to conduct 
    surveillance of United States citizens, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Buzz Off Act''.

SEC. 2. PROHIBITING USE OF UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES.

    (a) Surveillance.--A Federal law enforcement agency may not use an 
unmanned aerial vehicle to intentionally conduct surveillance of, 
gather evidence or collect information about, or photographically or 
electronically record a specifically targeted United States citizen or 
the specifically targeted private property of a United States citizen.
    (b) Exception.--Notwithstanding subsection (a), a Federal law 
enforcement agency may use an unmanned aerial vehicle to photograph, or 
otherwise record a United States citizen for the purposes of publishing 
or otherwise publicly disseminating such photograph or recording if the 
agency obtains the written consent of such United States citizen.
    (c) Applicability.--Subsection (a) shall not apply in the case 
that--
            (1) the President, acting through the Secretary of Homeland 
        Security, authorizes use of an unmanned aerial vehicle to 
        conduct surveillance if the Secretary certifies in writing 
        under oath that the surveillance is necessary to counter a high 
        risk of a terrorist attack by a specific individual or 
        organization; or
            (2) the head of a Federal law enforcement agency first 
        obtains a search warrant signed by a judge authorizing the use 
        of an unmanned aerial vehicle.
                                 <all>

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D-North Carolina · District 12

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Buzz Off Act

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