HR 96 Re-checks Congress.gov for new actions and updates the bill's status, and fills in any sponsors, committees, or related bills that are missing. It does not re-pull sponsors/cosponsors/committees/related — those rarely change — and it skips all work if nothing has changed upstream, so it's cheap to click.
To prevent agencies from using unmanned aerial vehicles to conduct surveillance of United States citizens, and for other purposes.
Summary
This bill prohibits federal law enforcement agencies from using unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) to conduct surveillance of, gather evidence about, or photograph or record a specifically targeted U.S. citizen or their private property. The bill includes two exceptions: federal agencies may conduct drone surveillance if authorized by the President through the Secretary of Homeland Security with a written certification that it is necessary to counter a high risk of terrorist attack by a specific individual or organization, or if they first obtain a search warrant from a judge. The bill permits agencies to photograph citizens for public dissemination only with the citizen's written consent.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
- Rep. Biggs, Andy [R-AZ-5] (R-AZ)
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Andy Biggs’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
- SAULSBURY INDUSTRIES $9,900
- 21ST CENTURY HEALTHCARE $7,500
- ULINE $6,600
- TW LEWIS COMPANY $6,600
- LEE BENSON $6,600
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Andy Biggs → · Outside spending →
Actions (2)
- Jan 3, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. · house
- Jan 3, 2025 Introduced in House
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Full text
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>
Comments