# The Buzz Off Act: What It Means for Drone Surveillance

This bill would ban federal law enforcement agencies from using drones to spy on American citizens without permission. Right now, there aren't strong federal rules stopping agencies like the FBI or DEA from using unmanned aerial vehicles to watch specific people or their property, take photos, or collect information about them. This bill would change that by making it illegal for federal law enforcement to target and monitor a particular person or their private property with a drone unless they have a really good reason or get permission first.

The bill does allow for two important exceptions. First, if the President's Department of Homeland Security believes there's a serious terrorist threat from a specific person or group, they can authorize drone surveillance—but they have to put that decision in writing under oath, which creates a paper trail and accountability. Second, law enforcement can still use drones to watch someone if they get a search warrant from a judge, just like they would for other types of surveillance. This means the normal legal protections that apply to wiretaps or home searches would also apply to drone surveillance.

For most Americans, this bill wouldn't change much in their daily lives since federal law enforcement isn't routinely using drones to watch ordinary citizens. However, it would matter for people involved in criminal investigations or those the government suspects of terrorism. Instead of being watched by a drone without a warrant, they'd have stronger legal protections requiring either a judge's approval or a certified national security threat. The bill essentially brings drone surveillance under the same legal framework as other investigative tools, making sure there's judicial oversight and preventing the government from casually monitoring people from the sky.

Buzz Off Act

Biggs, Andy

Buzz Off Act This bill prohibits federal law enforcement from using unmanned aerial vehicles to intentionally conduct surveillance of a specifically targeted U.S. citizen or the property of such an individual, with certain exceptions. Specifically, this prohibition shall not apply if (1) the federal law enforcement agency in question first obtains a search warrant, (2) the Department of Homeland Security certifies that such surveillance is necessary to counter a high risk of a terrorist attack by a specified person or organization, or (3) the citizen gives written consent.