--- title: Senate Transportation Committee, March 18, 2026 collection: meetings id: 2026-03-18/senate-transportation cite_as: Senate Transportation Committee, March 18, 2026, video https://vimeo.com/1174481058 (machine transcript by Georgia Commons) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-18/senate-transportation md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-18/senate-transportation.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-18/senate-transportation/text source_url: https://vimeo.com/1174481058 date: 2026-03-18 status: machine transcript corpus_version: meetings-2026-10-23-8c15ead0f18d license: Machine transcript and summaries by Georgia Commons from the General Assembly's public video; the video stays on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel; see about.md publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-18.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-18/senate-rules.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-18/house-ways-and-means.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/index.md chamber: Senate body: Senate Transportation Committee body_url: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/senate-transportation.md meeting_kind: committee session: 2025-2026 Regular Session start_time: 2026-03-18T08:00:00-04:00 location: 450 CAP duration_seconds: 6192.0 video_id: 1174481058 video_title: 03/18/2026 Senate Committee on Transportation agenda_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/agendas/senate/TransportationAgenda3.18.26.pdf bills_discussed: - HB 944 - HB 1434 - HB 205 - HB 1230 summaries_model: gpt-6.1-sol transcript_turns: 552 transcript_chars: 121504 parts: - https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-18/senate-transportation.md?start=0 - https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-18/senate-transportation.md?start=59753 - https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-18/senate-transportation.md?start=119682 --- # Senate Transportation Committee, March 18, 2026 Senate Transportation Committee; March 18, 2026; 2025-2026 Regular Session. Video, on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel: https://vimeo.com/1174481058. Agenda: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/agendas/senate/TransportationAgenda3.18.26.pdf. > This is a machine transcript of the General Assembly's video, made by a speech-recognition model. It is not an official record and can mishear words, names, and numbers. Speakers are not identified. The video is the record: every timestamp links to the moment it plays. ## Summary written by Georgia Commons Written by gpt-6.1-sol from the transcript below. It is not part of the record. Quote the transcript or the video, not the summary. The committee unanimously approved [HB 944](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb944), an annual update to federal transportation references; [HB 1434](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1434), requiring local protection of airport airspace, with an amendment narrowing the transportation department’s role; and [HB 1230](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1230), restricting drone flights over jails and prisons and targeting drone deliveries of contraband. The committee unanimously tabled [HB 205](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb205), which would require government agencies to use drones from an approved list. That discussion focused on the sponsor’s national security concerns and witnesses’ warnings about replacement costs and reduced emergency-response capabilities. The chair invited the sponsor and stakeholders to bring possible compromises to the next meeting. ## Bills discussed (4) Each account was written by gpt-6.1-sol from the stretch of the transcript it names. The bill's number is said in that stretch, unless it was the only bill on a committee's agenda. ### HB 944. Motor vehicles; federal regulations regarding safe operation of commercial motor carriers and commercial vehicles; update reference date [HB 944](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb944) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [0:14:40](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=880s), turns 63 to 80. The sponsor described [HB 944](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb944) as the annual update to federal transportation guidelines for moving hazardous materials on highways. The sponsor said the only change was moving the reference date from 2025 to 2026. With no substantive questions or debate, the committee unanimously approved the bill. ### HB 1434. Aviation; air facilities; identification of airport affected areas; provide [HB 1434](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1434) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [0:16:21](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=981s), turns 83 to 239. The sponsor said [HB 1434](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1434) would require airports to notify affected local governments about federally protected airspace and require those governments to adopt protective zoning. The sponsor said obstructions could close or shorten runways and jeopardize federal grants, and that 47 states have similar laws. The sponsor explained that a government allowing an obstruction would have local road grant funding suspended, including an adjacent county that does not own the airport. One member questioned whether zoning would take private property rights. The sponsor disagreed and said existing compensation requirements for tree removal or air rights would remain unchanged. Another member raised eminent domain, which the sponsor confirmed local governments could use. A witness representing general aviation airports supported the bill and amendment. A Georgia Airports Association witness said airports face penalties for obstructions they cannot control and can obtain grants to purchase land or address hazards. A second association witness emphasized local zoning, variances and coordination across jurisdictions. Members also questioned funding penalties and conflicts with projects such as water tanks. The sponsor said relocation or airport changes could resolve conflicts. The committee unanimously approved the bill with an amendment limiting GDOT’s role to guidance on compliance with federal aviation requirements rather than drafting local zoning. ### HB 205. Board of Homeland Security; development of a list of approved unmanned aircraft systems; provide [HB 205](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb205) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [0:42:45](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2565s), turns 241 to 506. The sponsor said the substitute for [HB 205](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb205) would require GEMA, working with the Department of Administrative Services, to establish an approved drone list meeting federal aviation, defense clearance and defense authorization requirements. The sponsor proposed moving the list deadline to December 2026 and implementation to January 2029. Those changes were not adopted. The sponsor argued that Chinese drone dominance risks surveillance and supply disruptions, and that restrictions would encourage domestic investment. Members questioned evidence of data transmission, comparisons with Chinese-made phones and effects on emergency response. An Emergency Management Association of Georgia witness said comparable replacements cost two to three times more and estimated 60 to 70 percent of counties use drones. A public-safety drone specialist said domestic investment focuses on military needs and requested a stakeholder working group. A White County emergency-management witness questioned evidence of surveillance and described rescue uses. A Fannin County witness cited more than 60 rescues and warned about domestic drones’ connectivity and subscription costs. A Rabun County witness warned of delayed searches. An Association of County Commissioners of Georgia witness raised replacement costs. A Georgia State Patrol lieutenant reported over $1 million in equipment, parts shortages and a preference for DJI capabilities. Asked about contractors, the sponsor said private companies were outside the bill. The committee unanimously tabled it, and the chair invited compromise proposals. ### HB 1230. Aviation; prohibit operation of unmanned aircraft systems over a place of incarceration [HB 1230](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1230) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [1:37:08](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5828s), turns 508 to 550. The sponsor said [HB 1230](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1230) responds to drones launched from nearby properties to deliver contraband into jails and prisons. The sponsor described restrictions on flights over incarceration facilities, with exceptions for authorized activities, and felony provisions covering pilots and people arranging drone deliveries of contraband. The sponsor said the Department of Corrections, the Georgia Sheriffs’ Association, counties and the City of Atlanta supported the proposal. Asked about enforcement, the sponsor pointed to provisions allowing law enforcement to deter flights and act on reasonable suspicion. The chair asked about a second section addressing ticketed events. The sponsor described it as updating local-government authority and distance language to match legislation passed the previous year. The chair also asked whether contraband deliveries were already illegal. The sponsor confirmed they were and said the bill would reach people hiring pilots as well as the drone activity itself. The committee unanimously approved the substitute. > The transcript runs 121,504 characters. A reader that cannot take it at once can read it in 3 parts: part 1 https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-18/senate-transportation.md?start=0; part 2 https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-18/senate-transportation.md?start=59753; part 3 https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-18/senate-transportation.md?start=119682. ## Transcript (552 turns) [0:10:13](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=613s) Start on time. If you wanna sign up to speak for or against any of the four bills, we've got sign-up sheets up here. Uh, we'll leave those there, given the fact that we're starting late. Um, and we'll just kind of pull those as we bring each bill up to see where folks are at. [0:10:30](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=630s) 7:59. [0:10:30](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=630s) Yeah. [0:10:30](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=630s) Geez. [0:10:31](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=631s) Yeah. I'm just, I'm just prepping, I'm just prepping folks for our 8:00 on-time start. [0:10:35](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=635s) Right on time. [0:10:38](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=638s) But while we're doing that, um, members of the committee not present currently. [0:10:43](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=643s) All right. We're gonna take a poll? [0:10:45](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=645s) We're gonna take a poll. [0:10:46](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=646s) I love it. [0:10:46](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=646s) So we are missing, uh, Senator Dixon, Anavitarte, Gooch, Lucas, Mallow, McLaurin, and Lawrence Walker III. So we will, uh, take a wager on who will be the next arriving member of the committee, starting with Senator Burns. [0:11:05](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=665s) Ah, that's a tough one. No, I'm gonna, I'm gonna take the loser. Senator, uh, Lucas. [0:11:12](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=672s) Did you say the loser? [0:11:14](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=674s) I'm sorry. The, the winner. [0:11:15](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=675s) The winner. You think Lucas? Okay. [0:11:17](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=677s) I'm sorry. [0:11:18](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=678s) All right, so Max takes Lucas. Senator Ginn? [0:11:20](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=680s) I'm going for the ABCs, Anavitarte. [0:11:23](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=683s) All right, he's taking the leader. Lawrence. [0:11:26](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=686s) Oh, I'd say Gooch. [0:11:27](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=687s) Gooch. Senator S- [0:11:29](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=689s) Gooch. [0:11:29](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=689s) Oh. [0:11:30](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=690s) Gooch. [0:11:30](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=690s) Nobody picked Gooch. Uh, S- Shawn Still takes Lawrence Walker III. Senator McNeel. [0:11:40](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=700s) I'm going with Lawrence. [0:11:41](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=701s) Oh, he's going with, uh, the lawyer. [0:11:43](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=703s) The lawyer. [0:11:45](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=705s) Uh, Josh. [0:11:46](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=706s) I'm taking a bet. [0:11:47](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=707s) And Senator Dickerson. [0:11:48](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=708s) I'm going Dixon. [0:11:50](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=710s) All right. [0:11:50](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=710s) All right. [0:11:55](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=715s) Senator Gooch, you got, you wanna place a wager on this one? [0:11:58](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=718s) What is, what's the bet? [0:12:00](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=720s) Who will be the next arriving senator? Your options are Dixon, Anavitarte, um, Lucas, Mallow, McLaurin, or Walker. [0:12:08](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=728s) Come on, Lucas. [0:12:10](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=730s) Uh, it won't be Lucas. [0:12:14](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=734s) You're going process of elimination here [0:12:18](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=738s) Hmm. No, I think I'm gonna skip. I have no confidence. [0:12:22](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=742s) Okay. Well, no one had confidence in you either. Nobody had taken a bet on that. It would've been... [0:12:28](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=748s) Wait, wait a minute. I heard Ginn call my name. [0:12:30](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=750s) Did Ginn call your name? [0:12:31](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=751s) But it was after he saw me come in. [0:12:33](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=753s) Oh yeah, he did. He did. [0:12:35](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=755s) He, he show up like a ghost. [0:12:38](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=758s) All right. Well, let's go ahead and get started. Um, Senator Still, you look like you're already prayed up this morning. You wanna say a prayer for us? [0:12:46](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=766s) Yeah. [0:12:46](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=766s) And, and, uh, and redeemed. Heavenly Father, thank you for this day. Thank you for the opportunity that we have to serve the people of Georgia. Thank you for all those that made, uh, the effort and the journey to be here to tell us why, uh, we are taking up good or bad legislation, and we just pray that everything that we do is for the good of your people. In Jesus' name, amen. [0:13:06](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=786s) Amen. [0:13:07](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=787s) Amen. Well, good morning, everyone. I know a lot of us have been praying for, um... Hey, let's see. [0:13:12](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=792s) Oh. [0:13:13](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=793s) Mallow. [0:13:14](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=794s) Mallow. [0:13:14](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=794s) Nobody, nobody picked- [0:13:15](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=795s) Nobody picked Mallow [0:13:16](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=796s) ... [0:13:19](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=799s) nobody picked Mallow. Uh, Chairman Jaspers, thanks for being here this morning. We've all been praying for your community. Would you mind stepping up to the podium if you've got kind of any updates on anything you know after yesterday's shooting at the VA- [0:13:31](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=811s) Yes, sir [0:13:31](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=811s) ... Medical Center there. [0:13:32](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=812s) Thank, thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for your thoughts and results. As if it was a, a tortured sleep last night thinking about what happened in Jasper yesterday and, you know, just the, um, the VA clinic. Had a gentleman there to receive treatment, um, ended up shooting one of the caregivers at the VA clinic and then was the, would not surrender to our local law enforcement, and so they killed him. You know, but I tell you what, Chairman Dolezal, it was amazing. In a little community like I live in, 4,000 people, um, the coordination of law enforcement immediately. [0:14:10](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=850s) Yeah, we're fortunate to have a helicopter over there at our hospital. They had him at Kennestone within 30 minutes. They've not released any, uh, data on how he is, or who he is, or anything about it. They've really kept it tight-lipped. You know, GBI is there helping the local sheriff's office. But, uh, thank you for thinking of us. [0:14:28](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=868s) Absolutely. I know you've been talking to a lot of folks back home and here at the Capitol, and thanks for keeping us updated on that. Uh, our first bill today is going to, uh, be with Representative Chairman Lauren McDonald, House Bill 944. We've seen this one a couple years in a row. [0:14:48](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=888s) Walk us through your bill if you would. [0:14:50](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=890s) Bring him a heavy, wouldn't you? [0:14:51](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=891s) Yeah, you got you some backup on this one? [0:14:53](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=893s) Yes, sir. Get a little nervous. [0:14:59](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=899s) Mr. Chairman, members of the committee- [0:15:01](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=901s) Oh, hang on. Let me get your mic, sorry. You're good. [0:15:03](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=903s) All right. Chairman, m- members of the committee, uh, I've got h- uh, House Bill 944. This is just the annual up transportation update for, uh, federal guidelines that come down, uh, for moving hazardous material up and down our interstates. All this bill does is change at the last line, changes the date, uh, from two- 2025 to 2026. [0:15:26](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=926s) Thank you. [0:15:27](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=927s) You can move it to pass. [0:15:28](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=928s) And we've got a motion do pass on LC394841. We're setting a land speed record here. Uh, second from Senator Burns. Any discussion amongst the committee? All those in favor, please signify by raising your hand. And that motion carries unanimously. [0:15:46](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=946s) Uh, they had talked to, uh, Senator Tim Bearden. [0:15:49](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=949s) Talk to him. [0:15:49](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=949s) What's that? Oh, um, the, the major and, and lieutenant had talked to Tim Bearden, but it's, we're very flexible on who carries it. [0:15:57](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=957s) Great. Let's have, let's have, uh, Senator Bearden carry this one. [0:15:59](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=959s) Okay. All right. Thank you, guys. [0:16:00](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=960s) Yeah. Thank y'all for being here. [0:16:01](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=961s) Appreciate y'all. [0:16:01](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=961s) Thank you. I haven't seen s- uh, Representative Todd Jones here. Has he snuck in the back? All right. Representative Jenkins, we will move you up- All right ... the list here, if that's okay. That's good, sir [0:16:17](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=977s) And you've got House Bill 1230? [0:16:21](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=981s) 1434. [0:16:22](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=982s) I'm sorry. I'm looking at Todd's bill. Yeah, 1434. And we do have a couple folks signed up to speak on this one, so- [0:16:29](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=989s) Yes, sir [0:16:30](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=990s) ... walk us through your bill. [0:16:31](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=991s) So I'm Representative Jenkins, uh, presenting House Bill 1434, LC number 395020S. This bill, uh, basically, uh, provides a management system to, uh, help better protect the airspace above all of our general aviation airports that's protected by federal regulation 14 CFR, uh, Part 77. Uh, this, this, uh, airspace above all our airports is, uh, basically what contains the air routes leading into and out of the airport. [0:17:06](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1026s) The consequence of obstructing this airspace is that, uh, it could lead to, uh, displaced thresholds on our runways, uh, closing runways, moving runways. And the federal government enforces this, uh, airspace with, uh, financial consequences. We lose our grant money if we obstruct this airport or, or the, the airspace, um, with something like a cell tower or something like that. So, um, this legislation basically requires all airports to notify the adjacent governments that, that have this airspace above them. [0:17:47](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1067s) Um, it requires GDOT to assist these governments in defining the dimensions of that airspace, and then it, uh, requires these governments to, uh, create zoning or regulations to protect, uh, this airspace from being penetrated. Um, the enforcement mechanism is LMIG, uh, will be withheld, uh, by GDOT from, uh, a government that, uh, that allows this airspace to be obstructed. [0:18:18](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1098s) Uh, the FAA does allow variances. If, if something goes into this airspace and it doesn't actually obstruct an air route, the airs- the FAA will issue, uh, variances for that. And it, it basically provides that that, that would go through the airport to request that. Uh, this is brought by over 100 Georgia airports. Uh, 47 out of 50 states have, uh, laws like this to protect the federally protected airspace above their airports. [0:18:48](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1128s) Uh, als- all states that, um, that surround Georgia do. So basically, this is a, uh, a positive approach. Uh, it'll basically, I think, facilitate economic development around our airports 'cause we'll basically, the, the landowners will, will know what they can and can't do and can work issues out. Uh, for instance, an example of, of, of, um, of an issue that was worked out was, was the, uh, Calhoun Airport. I guess the city of Calhoun's right north of it, and they had a building they had to, had to, had to move by like 12 feet to make it work, you know? [0:19:21](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1161s) And, and so if we can get ahead of this stuff, um, it, it'll be, you know, a lot better for our property owners and, um, and around our airports. Uh, this isn't a new requirement. This requirement exists, but it's, this will just make managing this protected airspace, uh, a much smoother process basically in Georgia. [0:19:41](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1181s) Great. Now, I understand from talking to Chairman Jasper is he kinda handed this off to you to kind of navigate- [0:19:47](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1187s) Yes [0:19:47](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1187s) ... a somewhat complex issue. Um, and you've gotten to a product here that, that ha- has been successfully cleared out of the House. [0:19:54](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1194s) Right. [0:19:54](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1194s) Um, but you have an amendment that you've worked out with GDOT that you would like to see on this, and I'll just walk the committee through that specifically, or unless you wanna walk. Why don't you, you have that- [0:20:05](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1205s) Yes. [0:20:05](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1205s) Why don't you talk through the amendment that you'd like to see the committee consider? [0:20:09](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1209s) So the language, uh, uh, currently in the bill, uh, GDOT thought was a little, um- [0:20:17](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1217s) We're looking at lines 45 through 47 here. [0:20:20](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1220s) Right. Lines, starting at line 45, uh, they, uh, GDOT just wanted tighter language on exactly what their responsibility was. Um, concern, they didn't, they didn't wanna be saddled with, with writing zoning. So the language proposed by GDOT, which I agree with, uh, basically just tightens, uh, their responsibility in this process. Uh, so basically we'll just, um, strike the language that says, "Assist the airport-affected governing body in the development, amending, and repealing of such regulations," and we will replace that, uh, with, "Provide assistance and guidance to the airport with respect to the compliance of such regulations to Federal Aviation Administration requirements." So just, just tightening what we're asking them to do. [0:21:08](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1268s) Okay. At the appropriate time, we'll, we'll, uh, consider that as an a- an amendment. Um, Senator Ginn. [0:21:14](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1274s) Uh, thank you, Mr. Chairman. One of the things, uh, Representative Jenkins, I, I'm a big fan of airports, and I know what they, they provide in economic development and all over the state. But one of the things I'm also a big fan of is personal property rights. [0:21:28](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1288s) Yes, sir. [0:21:28](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1288s) And one of the things that, that having dealt with an airport, a regional airport in, in community where I was county manager, the, uh, w- we saw firsthand, okay, uh, conflict between private property rights and the airport. To me, how do you address that? Because this is truly would be a taking the, uh, and I know there's a lot of counties in, in the state that still don't have zoning or any kinda enforcement mechanism. So if Bubba wants to build a, a, uh, TV tower at his house, said they, uh, uh, and you're telling him, "No, you can't," said they, uh, then you're, you're infringing on his private property rights. [0:22:04](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1324s) They, he, he wants to build a tower under 200 feet, which would obviously get in the, uh, glide slope of, uh, a plane maybe. That's a problem. So how do you address that? What's, how's that addressed in, in this language? [0:22:16](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1336s) So we, we were very careful to, uh, not create any state definition of this airsp- space and defer to the federally protected, uh, airspace that currently exists by federal regulation. Uh, uh- And again, this, this, this is, is currently protected airspace. So if currently if someone does put, um, a tower up in it, then, then yes, we could, we could shorten, close a runway and, and, you know, the, and, and the, the airport would, would be sanctioned by losing federal funding for doing that. [0:22:51](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1371s) So it's, it's not a new requirement. It just basically, uh, protects the infrastructure that we have and, and, and that's the reason is, is that, that a lot of, of, of cities and counties haven't created this zoning. Enforcement has been rather haphazard. I know, uh, um, Meriwether County, where I've, where I'm, uh, familiar with the airport, they're dealing with an issue right now that if they could have gotten ahead of with, with, uh, zoning like this, it, it could have easily been worked out. But, uh, so that's, that's, that's how we're, we're, we're attempting to deal with it. It's just ensuring that, that what is, is there now is what we're ... [0:23:24](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1404s) This i- this address, and we're not creating any new requirements to protect this airspace. [0:23:29](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1409s) But, but as far as an enforcement mechanism, you got a county that doesn't have zoning. [0:23:33](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1413s) Right. [0:23:33](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1413s) A, uh, Bubba goes out there and either grows a tree or, uh, puts a tower up, more likely- [0:23:39](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1419s) Right [0:23:39](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1419s) ... the, uh, that's in, i- in the problem for, for the glide slope of the, the runway. The, uh, then what happens the, uh, uh, under this bill that you wouldn't have without this bill? What would be the, the enforcement mechanism? How do you, how do you deal with that? And, and are we actually taking, uh, his property rights away? [0:23:59](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1439s) Right. Uh, so basically this, this would create zoning, which would affect h- his ability to do that. Uh, however, a- again, with, uh, you know, with, with, with this, this airspace exists today. It's not, we're not creating this protected airspace. And, uh, and, uh, I guess if he just decided to put a tower up on the end of the airport, we just c- we, we just closed an airport that we'd spent millions of dollars creating and the community depends on. And, uh, uh, I- I'm not a, I'm not aware of that happening in, in the state. [0:24:30](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1470s) I know, I know it's been a haphazard effort to, to protect this airspace, and this is supposed to, the, to make that better. But it's, it's essentially something that, that you can't do today, you know? [0:24:41](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1481s) So, so it is ... I- this would be a taking of personal property rights. [0:24:44](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1484s) Uh, I don't see it as ... It's, it's zoning. And I know, you know, like, like today, you can't build an oil refinery at the end of a subdivision. So I mean, there's, there's things we can and can't do with our properties today. Um, you know, there's, there's any number of, of zoning, and this is a, a fairly mild zoning restriction that, that, um, you know, depending on, on where that property is. But there, and there's a lot of e- if you go around Georgia's airports, there's a lot of economic development right up to the fence. But there's just, you know, there again, there's certain things you can and can't do around an airport, or you'll, or you'll close the airport, is what it amounts to, or close a runway. [0:25:19](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1519s) And again, we, we have spent, uh, a lot of s- state and federal money to create these facilities. They're huge economic engines in our community, so they're, they're definitely worth protecting. [0:25:31](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1531s) Any other questions from the committee? We have Senator Mallow on nine. [0:25:37](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1537s) Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh, Representative Jenkins, uh, is it not true that, uh, local government, uh, city and counties have eminent domain? [0:25:45](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1545s) They do. [0:25:46](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1546s) And they could use eminent domain to secure any piece of property under the powers of eminent domain. Is that not true? [0:25:55](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1555s) That is also true. [0:25:56](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1556s) Thank you. [0:26:02](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1562s) Say that again. Okay. Um, we do have a couple of people here to testify to this bill. Um, we've got two opposed and one in support. So Representative Jenkins, why don't you go ahead and grab a seat? I'll let you come up and respond at the end of this time. Uh, we'll take su- uh, support first, and that's Vernon Lee. And Mr. Lee, you can ... Yeah, why don't you come and grab a seat if you'd like. You can ... Yeah, that's fine there. Yeah. [0:26:26](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1586s) Take me longer to sit down. Mr. Chairman, members of the committee, um, I represent the, uh, General Aviation Airports of Georgia. There's 95 of those in the state. And, uh, just bring our support. We've worked on with this legislation this session, uh, for the last couple months, getting it through and getting it fine-tuned so it doesn't infringe, and we stay in line with what the feds are already doing with the Transportation Department. And then we're also in support of the, uh, s- uh, substitute or the amendment being brought today also. So just here to show our support for the bill as it's brought with the amendment, uh, from the General Aviation Airports in the state. [0:27:00](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1620s) That's all, Mr. Chairman. [0:27:01](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1621s) Okay. Thank you, Mr. Lee. [0:27:02](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1622s) Yes, sir. [0:27:03](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1623s) I don't see any questions for you. And, um, uh, Mr. Stevenson, it looks like. [0:27:17](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1637s) And you're with? [0:27:19](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1639s) Georgia Airports Association. [0:27:20](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1640s) Are you in opposition of this bill? [0:27:21](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1641s) No, sir. [0:27:22](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1642s) Okay, he's signed on the wrong sheet. That's okay. Um, all right. So why don't you s- uh, state your name, who you're with, and you are in support of the bill. [0:27:29](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1649s) Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh, members of the board, my name is Dawud Stevenson. I'm the current, uh, president of the Georgia Airports Association, and I'm the director of the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport. Uh, we're here today to support the bill. Uh, we're one of three states, as we said earlier, that do not have, uh, statewide zoning legislation, uh, for airports. Uh, this does affect the airport. Uh, when we do have a violation, the airport's penalized either, uh, through not getting their grants or, uh, having their utilities restricted, as was said earlier. [0:28:04](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1684s) Um, and the airports usually don't have a, a say-so in it, uh, as we, we can't force the, uh, landowners to, to do anything. That's, uh, left to the mu- municipalities and, uh, the counties and the cities, uh, to do that. So this would give us some teeth to the bill to, uh, protect the airports that we spend a lot of money on, uh, and are significant economic engines for the state of Georgia. [0:28:30](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1710s) Great Yes, sir. Uh, Represent- uh, Senator Ginn, you're recognized. [0:28:34](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1714s) Uh, thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh, help me out. Sydney, uh, you know, we put a lot of money in airports, and I, I'm a, I'm a big fan. Try to, try to work to make sure that happens. But also understand those personal property rights. Is, is there a mechanism, Sydney, uh, either through GDOT funding or other funding that, that, you know, uh, I think about, okay, you know where your runways are and what's going on as you build a airport and you continue to grow an airport, the, uh, that, that, uh, we can push airports to go ahead and, and, uh, buy the rights, air rights, for whatever may be in that glide slope so that, you know, most people would sign it and say, "Hey, I'm not gonna put a s- you know, obstacle up that's gonna be a problem." But I do know that, you know, uh, we've done simple things like cutting trees that, you know, we, we have paid for the property owners to, where we've cut trees out of, uh, airport glide slope. [0:29:28](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1768s) The, uh, and we'll, we'll compensate the, the landowners for the trees that we've cut. Are there ways to do that in this li- legislation, Sydney, uh, so that we're, it's not just a all-out taking of their, their property rights? [0:29:41](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1781s) Yes, sir. Uh, this bill is, is really just adding the, uh, legislation so that the zoning can be put in place. Uh, as far as handling an issue as it arises, uh, like you said, the airport does compensate the owner. So if land is restricted, we have to come in and, and cut some trees, those landowners are, uh, they're reimbursed, uh, for, for those trees, uh, based off of their pricing. And airports can receive grant funding from the state and from the, uh, federal, uh, government to, uh, to buy land or to mitigate, uh, hazards. [0:30:16](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1816s) Thank you, sir. Unless you have any other questions for you, thank you for being with us today. [0:30:19](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1819s) Mm-hmm. [0:30:20](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1820s) Um, next up is Andrew, and I'm not gonna attempt the last name here, 'cause I can't quite make it. It looks like Wiersma maybe. Is that, did I get it right? [0:30:27](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1827s) You got it right. [0:30:28](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1828s) All right. [0:30:30](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1830s) Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh, so I'm with Georgia Airports Association as well. Uh, my name's Andrew Wiersma. I'm the airport manager at the Dalton Municipal Airport in Dalton, Georgia. Uh, been working on this bill for a couple years now, so I appreciate you guys hearing us out today. Um, one of the biggest things, um, that we tried to focus on with this bill is, uh, keeping it, uh, control at the local level. So, uh, Senator Ginn's, uh, comments, uh, we appreciate that and, and, uh, we're trying to look out for property rights for sure. [0:31:03](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1863s) At the local level, um, the, the airports have different requirements for their runways. So if you have an ILS, uh, instrument landing system, you're gonna have more restrictive, uh, approaches. Uh, if you have a airport out in a rural area, you may have a very, uh, easy approach that, uh, property owners are gonna be affected very little. So those communities are gonna have the, the opportunity to come up with their own zoning, uh, that may not be as restrictive as, uh, somebody with an ILS. [0:31:40](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1900s) And they're gonna be able to, uh, give variances. Uh, so if, if, uh, one of the property owners at the end of the runway wants to build a tower and it does not affect the approach, but it may be, uh, may even penetrating that Part 77 approach, um, they can provide a variance for that. So that's one of the things that we really wanted to be able to do, is allow the local, uh, municipality government, uh, to control and to have variances. [0:32:10](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1930s) Um, one of the biggest parts for having a statewide, uh, ordinance like this is because there's so many different jurisdictions that come into play when you have an airport. So f- my airport, for example, uh, we are in Whitfield County. The airport is owned by, uh, the City of Dalton, and our airspace goes out over Murray County. So, um, it's very difficult to work in the other counties. Um, for example, Murray County has no incentive to put any zoning into place because they have no skin in the game. [0:32:45](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=1965s) So they, they don't, uh, provide financially for the airport even though they receive economic benefits from the airport. So if you told Murray County that they needed to implement, uh, zoning for the airport, uh, they would have no reason to do so. Uh, so it's very difficult, uh, to put those, uh, regulations into place, uh, from the airport itself. So this bill just seeks to require each community that lies beneath, uh, airspace of an airport as defined by Part 77 of the FAA, um, has to put that into place and work together with the airport sponsor to make sure that that is done. [0:33:29](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2009s) Um, so that's, that's the main point of the, uh, the state bill, is, is bringing those, uh, different political subdivisions together, uh, to make this happen where that otherwise really wouldn't happen. [0:33:42](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2022s) Great. Thank you. [0:33:43](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2023s) Yeah. [0:33:43](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2023s) Any questions from the committee? Andrew, thank you for being here today. [0:33:47](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2027s) Thank you, Mr. Chairman. [0:33:49](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2029s) Jenna, would you mind coming up to a microphone? I think you had some thoughts on- [0:33:54](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2034s) Governing, if that's correct [0:33:56](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2036s) ... an amendment here. [0:33:57](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2037s) Yeah. I just have one- [0:33:58](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2038s) Let me... Oh, yeah. [0:33:59](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2039s) Uh, instead of using airport, we wanna use airport-affected governing body, um, to achieve the intent that GDOT was concerned about. So on line 46, after sha- Department of Transportation shall, swap out that phrase to the end with, "Provide assistance and guidance to the airport-affected governing body with respect to the compliance of such regulations," um, to required, uh, to... Sorry. [0:34:31](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2071s) With respect to the compliance of such fed- regulations to- [0:34:33](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2073s) Such regulations to the requirements of the Federal A- Avi- Aviation Administration. Excuse me, I've had my coffee. Um, so switching out airport, as suggested, with airport-affected governing body. [0:34:46](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2086s) No, right here I'm going to- No. I'm trying to figure out which senator I want to call on to opine on whether that should be an A or an E, affected. Oh, Lord. I don't know. Larry, what do you think? Is it affected with an A or with an E? Uh, I think that it might be with an A. An- we got an A. That's me. [0:35:08](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2108s) Oh, I'm gonna go option E. [0:35:09](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2109s) E, all right. Senator Gooch. [0:35:14](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2114s) A. [0:35:14](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2114s) A? [0:35:15](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2115s) A. [0:35:15](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2115s) A. [0:35:15](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2115s) Oh, Christ. [0:35:16](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2116s) U. [0:35:17](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2117s) U. We got- we got an I and an O. I. Mallow? [0:35:20](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2120s) All affected. [0:35:22](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2122s) Mallow? [0:35:22](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2122s) I'm- I'm with affected, not effected. [0:35:24](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2124s) Okay, with an A? [0:35:25](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2125s) Going with the A. [0:35:26](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2126s) Going with an A? [0:35:27](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2127s) A. [0:35:27](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2127s) A. All right, we'll go to our Yale-trained attorney for the proper answer. A. A. Oh. That is the proper answer. Chairman goes on. Yeah, so Senator Gooch, you're recognized. [0:35:35](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2135s) Isn't it true that Senator Burns is also a doctor? [0:35:38](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2138s) I- [0:35:39](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2139s) An academic doctor. [0:35:40](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2140s) I think he's a doctor. I think also we're ... I know you had some academic achievement that surprised me when I saw. Rhodes scholars. Yeah, yeah. No, it was Fulbright. Fulbright scholar. That's right. Full- We're just picking- [0:35:51](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2151s) He's not so full, right? [0:35:56](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2156s) All right, Representative Jenkins, why don't you go ahead and come up- come forward. I'll give you a chance to ... You can either waive or you can close, it's up to you. I didn't know if there was anything you heard that you wanted to respond to. [0:36:05](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2165s) Uh, I just stand for questions. If- if there's any questions that have been created, I just want to, I- I guess, uh, just reemphasize that the, uh, the method that- that these, um, in other words, the compensation or eminent domain or whatever is currently used today to clear this airspace is unchanged. Uh, i- if- if a, a tree is cut or air rights are secured, those will have to, you know, the landowner will have to be compensated after this bill is passed the same as they are if it wasn't passed. [0:36:38](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2198s) It's not gonna have any effect on that. [0:36:40](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2200s) Great. Thank you for that. [0:36:41](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2201s) I do have a serious question. [0:36:42](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2202s) Yes, uh, Senator Gooch. [0:36:44](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2204s) Not to, not to belabor this much longer, and maybe you covered it in the bill, I wasn't listening. So a lot of your city, smaller city airports, they're literally right in the center of the community. Obviously, that's where most of your towns are. If the county owns the land, not physically owns it, but if it's in the unincorporated area, so you've got a mile of- of the slope path coming in, how are you gonna impact the local government that doesn't own the airport? [0:37:13](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2233s) So, uh, and that's- [0:37:14](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2234s) Without, without taking away their LMIG funds. [0:37:17](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2237s) It's a dumb question. [0:37:18](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2238s) The, uh, the- the purpose of this bill is- is to basically, uh, i- it is to incentivize. If- if, uh, the- the- the ju- jurisdiction does not own the airport but is affected by it, that airspace lies above, they- they have to create the zoning. Uh, as far as the, uh, the penalty for violating the airspace is gonna go to the- the governing body that- that violates the airspace. So if- if it's in the city and the county violates the airspace, then- then that's who would be sanctioned. [0:37:51](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2271s) Um, that- that's the intent of the bill. [0:37:54](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2274s) So I get the, I guess the, the idea of it is really good. I have an airport in my district, same sit- situation, but it's not the county versus the city. It's the city versus itself, because they didn't want to condemn the land. But I was just thinking with counties and cities not getting along, you've got to, you- you're gonna have to use some leverage here to get those counties to comply. [0:38:19](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2299s) Right. [0:38:19](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2299s) And I just don't see you doing that. But you're gonna punish a county if they don't by removing their LMIG funding. Is that, is that the way the bill's written? [0:38:29](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2309s) The- the government that doesn't lo- loses their LMIG funding. [0:38:33](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2313s) Right. [0:38:33](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2313s) So if- if the city allows through, if the city allows it to be, uh, their, the air- airspace to be penetrated, they will lose their airma- LMIG- [0:38:44](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2324s) Mm-hmm [0:38:44](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2324s) ... and the county or- [0:38:45](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2325s) Sure [0:38:45](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2325s) ... or whatever government does. So all governments lying beneath this will have to protect this airspace and be incentivized to do it. [0:38:53](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2333s) What if it's an adjacent county? [0:38:55](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2335s) Then that, it, it, then if that adjacent county violates it, then that adjacent county will lose their, their, or suspend their LMIG. They won't lose it, they'll be suspended. [0:39:04](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2344s) We may have to visit this again in the future if it creates a lot of problems. I just don't, I don't know how many scenarios there are like that out there, but I know of one or two, but not, not too many of them. [0:39:15](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2355s) There- there are quite a few airports that this airspace does cross multiple jurisdictions. [0:39:19](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2359s) Right. [0:39:20](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2360s) And which is one of the reasons for this bill. [0:39:23](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2363s) Senator Ginn, you're recognized for a question. [0:39:25](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2365s) Uh, thank you. Representative Jenkins, one last question. [0:39:28](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2368s) Sure. [0:39:28](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2368s) And then, and this is where you get conflict. A, uh, I know one airport authority where I was county manager, their, their, uh, glide slope and the, the lineup for the runway was not in conflict with them building a water tank. They, uh, they needed a water tank. So when you got, okay, which, which, uh, urgent matter is, is important, the, uh, how's that dealt with? You know, when the, when the local government is, is also, uh, one of the partners in the airport, you know, it's actually an authority. [0:40:03](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2403s) The, uh, and you got conflicting interests, how is that resolved? [0:40:07](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2407s) So if, if the, uh, you know, if the local government owns the airport and they want the air- uh, the tank there, then, then, and then that's something they're gonna have to, uh, consider modifying their airport infrastructure if that's what they want to do. Um, I think normally things like that can be, can be relocated. Uh, if, if we know what the, where, where the airspace is, uh, you know, things like that can be worked out in that, that water tank, like in the case of Calhoun, move it 15 feet this way or that way or, um, you know, put it where it, where it won't affect the airport. [0:40:40](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2440s) Because usually these airports, uh, constitute an enormous, uh, financial investment and enormous economic engine for the community. So n- normally that's, that's, that's w- would be the The primary consideration for something like that. [0:40:56](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2456s) All right. Uh, Senator Dickerson, we'll take one more question, then we'll see what the will of the committee is on 11. I'm good. Oh, you are. I'm good, sir. Okay. What's the will of the committee? Move do pass. [0:41:05](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2465s) I second. [0:41:07](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2467s) We have a move do pass from Pro Tem Walker on LC39502S with a s- a second from Senator Dickerson. Uh, I'm going to entertain a motion as well to amend the bill- So moved ... in Section B by striking, "Assists the airport-affected governing body in the development and, uh, um, amendment and repeal of such regulations," and replacing it with, "Provide assistance and guidance to the af-" Airport af- [0:41:40](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2500s) Airport-affected governing body [0:41:41](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2501s) ... airport affected, with an A, governing body- [0:41:44](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2504s) Governing body [0:41:45](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2505s) ... uh, with respect to the compliance of such regulations to Federal Aviation Administration requirements. [0:41:51](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2511s) Yes, sir. [0:41:51](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2511s) Do I have a motion on that amendment? I got a motion to, uh, amend from Senator Dickerson and second from Senator Mallow. We now have a bill as amended. Any discussion on the bill? All those in favor, please signify by raising your hand. And that bill, that motion carries unanimously. And did you figure out who your Senate sponsor's gonna be? [0:42:14](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2534s) Uh, I'm, I'm working. I'm, I haven't heard back from Marty Harbin. I know he, he's an aviator. I was gonna ask him to do it, but- [0:42:18](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2538s) Okay [0:42:19](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2539s) ... um- [0:42:20](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2540s) Great He, I'll carry it if he doesn't do it. [0:42:23](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2543s) Okay. Well, I'll just... It's, it's done then. Thank you, sir. [0:42:25](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2545s) Yeah, let's have, uh, Senator, uh, Dickerson do that since he heard this discussion as well. All right. Um, is Todd Jones here yet? I haven't seen Representative Jones come in the door. All right. Um, Representative Clark, it's your lucky day. You get to move up one spot here. [0:42:41](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2561s) Okay. [0:42:42](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2562s) Uh, we are going to hear testimony on House Bill 205. Do you have the sign-up sheet for that? [0:42:49](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2569s) Thank you. [0:42:51](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2571s) And so House Bill 205 is the, uh, committee substitute. It should be LC394610S. [0:42:57](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2577s) Okay. All right. Floor is yours. [0:43:00](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2580s) Well, appreciate it, Chairman, Senac- uh, s- Senators. As, um, so before I go into the bill, it's a pretty simple bill, but I wanna say over the past 15 years, China has subsidized its drone manufacturing, driven competing manufacturers in the US and Europe out of the market so that Chinese manufacturers such as DJI and Autel, which now control 90% of the global drone market, could take over. Security officials now understand that this effort was led in part designed by the Chinese Communist Party as an intelligence operation. Federal authorities have warned that the Chinese-manufactured drones can and do collect images and other data from these drones and trans- and could transmit, transmit them to the Chinese military a- authorities, allowing them to spy on American businesses, law enforcement, and utilities. [0:43:43](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2623s) These vulnerabilities allow the Chinese government to develop a richly detailed, regularly updated picture of our nation's pipeline, railroads, power gen- uh, generation facilities, waterways, and allows the Chinese to better target US critical infrastructure. And it, that report's from the US, uh, Senate Intelligence Committee they put out. Um, I'll just say this bill simply, and I presented this bill last year, it, uh, simply just no later than December 1st, uh, it, it would've been 2025, but we would switch that to 2026. [0:44:17](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2657s) The, uh, Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency shall develop a list of unmanned aircraft systems approved for use within the state, and they will develop, develop that in coordination with the Department of A- Administrative Services, and they will put that out there. And it will line up and be compliant with the Federal Aviation Administration standards, have been cleared for use by the United States Department of Defense, and be compliant with the requirements of the Federal National Defense Authorization Act. And then it would go into effect on January... [0:44:49](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2689s) Right now the bill says 2028, but I'd push that to 2029 to give a, a three years, 'cause the average drone life is about three years. Um, and so I know some departments have bought a lot of drones and all that, so it would not, um, um, mess with that. It gives that three-year window, let them get in compliance. Um, and, um, so it, it's a simple bill. And I'll say this. When you have 90% of the market in China, it's a national security risk. [0:45:21](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2721s) 'Cause I know this for a fact, and I've talked to a lot of people, um, and even law enforcement. You know, they like the cheaper drones. I get that, but China has undercut with the prices to knock out these other companies. And I know for a fact, and hopefully we don't go to war, but if we went to war tomorrow with China, shut down manufacturing, we would be in massive, massive trouble. And so we need to start to shift the priority to our homeland so we can produce our own drones. Um, and it's also a natio- national security risk, I believe, um, that has come down from even the federal government. [0:45:51](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2751s) So I'll be glad to take any questions. [0:45:53](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2753s) Uh, Senator McLaurin, uh, are you on 12 there? [0:45:55](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2755s) Yeah. [0:45:55](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2755s) Okay. [0:45:57](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2757s) Thanks, Mr. Chairman. Good to see you, Representatives. [0:45:59](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2759s) It's great to see you. [0:46:00](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2760s) Um, so I d- I guess there's... I'm, I'm concerned about the bill. I guess there's two arguable sources of national security argument that you're making. One would be whether we can source drones at all if, as you said, some kind of disaster scenario happened. But in terms of the components of the drones themselves, just the mere fact that they're manufactured in China, I mean, you would agree with me that the federal government has found no imminent security threat related to the manufacture of the drones just by virtue of the fact that they're in China, right? [0:46:31](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2791s) I mean, they come from somewhere else, but there's nothing about the operation of the drones that has a security deficiency the way that they are manufactured. Would you agree with me about that? [0:46:41](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2801s) The way they're manufactured in, in China? [0:46:43](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2803s) There's not like a... Let me try to be a little more colorful here. There's not, like, some kind of a little sneaky bug or something inside the drone that gives China security advantage by virtue of the way these drones are manufactured. I just wanna make sure we are all straight on the national security arguments being made, that there's not... Like, you would agree with me there's not some kind of, like, backdoor or, you know, secret switch inside the drones that's enabling some kind of a security vulnerability. It's just the fact that they are manufactured in China- [0:47:11](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2831s) Mm-hmm [0:47:12](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2832s) ... and the federal government has found no security defect with these drones specifically. You would agree with me about that, or yes or no? [0:47:18](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2838s) No, it's not. I'd say There has been warning that they could be using it, these drones, uh, to transmit back. Um, and, and that's the, the, the, the warning that they have put out that that could be happening. Um, and that's why... I mean, there are companies, you know, working on third-party, um, technology and apps and all that and, and stuff to download into these drones to make sure that it can't be transmitted. But it's definitely something that the federal government has put out that they are worried that it could be happening. [0:47:51](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2871s) But no evidence of this to date, right? [0:47:56](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2876s) Yeah, I'm just... We, we're, we're having to balance- [0:47:57](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2877s) Yeah [0:47:58](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2878s) ... some secur- the security issues all around, right? There are- [0:48:01](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2881s) Yep [0:48:01](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2881s) We have a letter here in our... We have security issues in terms of the access that we currently have, and I'm, you know, cost benefit analysis for us to pass the bill, I think we'd have to be concerned that the security issues of banning the drones, that the, that the advantage of doing that would outweigh the cost to us. And so I'm trying to get a sense- [0:48:21](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2901s) Well, well, well, well, it would definitely 100%, just the same way with 90% of our medicine comes from China and China and India. If we went to war tomorrow and you close the gates, we're gonna have possibly millions dying e- every single year. Like, that's just a fact. And we have become so reliant on other countries, and a country that can't close its castle walls, its gates, isn't really a country because if you can't survive. And same way, if we went to m- to war tomorrow with China, and they cut o- we're, we're not buying drones from them, that would be a major disaster here inside our country, e- even for law enforcement who are using these drones to save lives. [0:48:56](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2936s) Um, they wouldn't be able to get their hands on that. So we need to start having that shift, and what this does is it gives that three-year window also to investors, because there's major investment happening right now, um, in drone production here in the United States. And what this does also is it lets investors know, hey, in three years, we can get in compliance with the federal government. Um, and so what it does even, even with investors, say, "Hey, we need to start investing even more in our production, our manufacturing, because we're gonna start to shift and make sure that's on the approved list." Um, so it's kind of, um, it, it helps in that way and something we need to shift to. [0:49:30](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2970s) We have to be able to close our gates and produce at least enough drones, same way with medicine and everything else. And our country, at the highest levels, has lost the, um, the vision, um, on national security and being able to close our gates. So I think we need to start to prioritize that. [0:49:47](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=2987s) Well, you and I both agree there should be borders, and don't tell anybody any different. Um, but, uh, in terms of this bill though, I do have real concerns about whether it's, in the short run at the very least, cutting off our ability to respond appropriately to emergencies. So thank you for, uh, for your conversation about it. [0:50:02](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3002s) Yep. [0:50:05](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3005s) Senator Still, you're recognized for a question. [0:50:06](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3006s) Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, first of all, I'd like to see if anyone has an asthma inhaler for the representative on the front row who's- ... really gotten here . [0:50:15](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3015s) I'd, I'd rather have O2. Is that an option? [0:50:18](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3018s) If you could have been, if you would have been four minutes faster, you probably would have saved yourself, uh, a little bit of testimony. We'll get to you, we'll get to you before we're done. [0:50:24](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3024s) All right . Representative Clark, good morning. Um, I understand your concerns, and just kind of echoing a little bit where, um, Senator McLaurin was going f- If we think about China and national security, all of us have a little black piece of plastic sitting in front of us. You've got one right there, as I recognize that as an iPhone, and that was made in China. So what security concerns do we have about a Chinese-made drone that doesn't carry over to a Chinese-made telephone that we know is connected to satellites, that we know is transmitting, that we know is talking and listening and doing all the things every day as we walk and talk and sleep and dream and everything else, and it is listening and, and responding to everything that we do, and that's Chinese. [0:51:19](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3079s) So why are we targeting drones as a what if scenario if we're already embracing Chinese technology- [0:51:26](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3086s) Yeah. I mean- [0:51:26](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3086s) ... with the phones we use every day? [0:51:27](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3087s) We need to always be digging in, into things, just like we found out, you know, the Pentagon, um... Google got a big contract the Pentagon was using Chinese nationalists. Like, we need to be looking at every single thing, and the phones are being able to transmit and all that, obviously. But I'll say there's nothing more powerful than when you have u- updated good imagery of the infrastructure and the layout of America. It's why the Chinese... And you can say, "Oh, well, you can use satellites to get imagery." Well, times are changing now. Yeah, we have satellites, but the imagery's not even close to what you can have, like when the Chinese sent that balloon over the, the, uh, the United States. [0:52:00](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3120s) You know, when you have updated very good imagery, like when you go into a country or we go on a mission or go, um, yeah, do a mission, having that imagery up to date in real time if you can, or at least as close as you can to that date, it's massive. And so when they can start to put those pieces together of updated imagery, infrastructure, critical infrastructure, it's huge. John, if you go to war, who has the best imagery and the layout of the battlefield? It's massive. Um, and yeah, phones can be, be, be transmitting, but again, on the drones, when you're getting the imagery, and if they're able to transmit that, um, and get that imagery back and that, and that data, it's massive, um, in a whole different way. [0:52:39](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3159s) And again, I mean, if we need to be digging in, and I'm sure we are looking, um, even the phones, I mean, at the highest level, because we have these agencies looking into that. Um, but I think the drones can be a whole different level if they're able to, to transmit that. [0:52:53](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3173s) So our EMS folks that are here, and I, I think some of them are here to testify to this, they're going to testify, I'm, I'm guessing- [0:53:04](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3184s) Yep [0:53:04](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3184s) ... that they've opened up these drones. There is no transmitting device. There is no, you know, connection to anything else, and, you know, it would require the same type of technology that's in a phone to be able to transmit that back to a foreign adversary. So if those don't exist, even though they're manufactured in China, but they don't possess the ability to [0:53:23](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3203s) transmit data or be operated remotely or anything else like that, what is, what are we solving for? [0:53:29](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3209s) Well, well, again, the federal government's put out in the DOD saying that it, there could be that potential. And sometimes they're not gonna put out all the findings to the public. You don't do that. It's national security. If, if you're investigating or figuring out, hey, China might be doing a wraparound, you don't put that out there because then China knows directly we're zoning in on something. So sometimes they might put out enough out there to say, hey, there's a warning, this could be happening, and they're still doing what they're doing behind the scenes, you know. Just like people ask all the time like, "Well, we wanna know what's going on over in some country. [0:54:03](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3243s) You know, we wanna know where are all of our guys and what's happening." Well, we can't put out all the stuff what we do on a mission, 'cause then that lets the enemy know what we're doing, um, against them. So you can put out enough, but you don't put out everything. And obviously the federal government has put it out and said, um, this is a nat- national security risk, and they believe that. And that's why we're starting to have a shift from Pete Hegseth and across, you know, the administration. Um, and even before Trump came in, in the Biden administration, they were talking about this. So it's definitely something we need to look into. [0:54:34](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3274s) Um, and I believe we need to get in line and, and get compliant, and also we need to start shift to encouraging manufacturing here, period. So you can talk about the transmitting of data and imagery, but then also the production is a national security risk, and we need to start to shift back manufacturing to the United States. [0:54:51](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3291s) Learned a lot of things. Thanks. [0:54:52](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3292s) That's right. [0:54:55](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3295s) I don't see any other questions from the committee. Thank you. We'll take testimony and then I'll give you a chance to come up, Representative Clark- [0:54:59](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3299s) Thank you [0:55:00](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3300s) ... answer any other questions or close our debate here. Uh, we've got one, two, three, four, five... We've got six folks signed up to speak. If you could, keep your comments to three minutes or less, and if you can, please, uh, refrain from essentially redundant information to the best of your ability. First up is gonna be James Westbrook, and then Joshua Pruitt, you will be up after Mr. Westbrook. Y'all can testify from the seat here. Please just tell us who you are and who you're with. [0:55:31](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3331s) Everybody that's signed up to speak has signed up to speak in opposition. Uh, there's currently not anyone signed up to speak in support. If anybody would like to speak in support, please do let us know. Thank you. [0:55:39](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3339s) Thank you, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee. My name is James Westbrook. I'm the legislative chair for the Emergency Management Association of Georgia. I'm also a director of emergency management for a large university here in the state of Georgia. So our association represents all 159 counties for the emergency management piece, as well as universities, cities, and all other groups of emergency managers within this state. Basically, we use it, we use these UAS for many things. We use them for situational awareness, whether it's for a house fire, to support our law enforcement partners. We use them for emergency response, for damage assessment, for wildfire management. [0:56:12](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3372s) We also use them for search and rescue to find little Timmy if he wanders away from his home, or to find an Alzheimer's patient who's, who's also wandered away from their areas. The rules in this legislation are overly restrictive, specifically mentioning the DOD approved UAS. If you look at the list of what's DOD approved UAS, the cheapest option is around $15,000. That is not simply a drone that's intended to carry a payload against our enemies. That's basically the options we have. The cheapest is $15,000. [0:56:45](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3405s) Use the example of GSP. The drones that they use that fly over this capital every day are not on that list. They have over a hundred, over a million dollars worth of infrastructure in UAS that would have to be replaced. That's a significant cost of what we're talking about with this piece of legislation. The restrictions would, would neuter many of the UAS programs in public safety in the state of Georgia. Many of us can buy drones for $3,000 that can do significant, um, can, can provide significant help to our associations, to our emergency management, to our law enforcement, public safety partners. [0:57:22](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3442s) And then we look at just beyond public safety. Let's, let's, let's think about the other UAS uses that we have for local governments, for state government in this state. Building maintenance checks, and we're gonna require these individuals to have a DOD approved $15,000 minimum drone. A county PR taking pictures of a festival in their county. A university doing research. A municipal golf course doing golf course management, and we're gonna require them to have a DOD approved drone. [0:57:55](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3475s) STEM programs. I talked to a STEM program in DeKalb County last week, an after-school program looking at developing drones and how they could use drones for, for natural disasters, and they reached out to me. I did a little 30-minute Q&A session with them. We would require these groups to have DOD approved drones under this legislation. [0:58:20](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3500s) Do we really need to restrict this to military spec drones for what we're using them for? Many of us, if we're, if we're flying for public safety, we have to be FAA Part 107 certified and licensed. We can't fly over the critical infrastructure that Representative Clark mentioned. We can't fly over power stations. We can't fly over airports by legal restrictions of our licenses. Regardless of what drone we're using, we can't fly over those areas. This would cost a significant amount of money, both to the state and to the local level. [0:58:53](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3533s) It would be another unfunded mandate for us, for GSP, for GEMA, for all these agencies that use UAS for good. It would decrease the ability, our capabilities, because many of the drones we're talking about on the DOD list cost more and do less than what we are able to purchase now. We would love for there to be reasonable UAS, UA, excuse me, USA built drones that we could access. We would love that. I would much rather buy a Skydio or a Parrot drone that can do the same thing as the D- DJI drones for the same price. [0:59:30](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3570s) Even a little bit more, but when it's two to three times more, it's a significant investment that would really limit our capabilities moving forward. Last year when we left this committee, we, we said we were willing to meet, willing to have discussions, willing to make compromises on this, on this piece of legislation. No meetings were held, no discussion was had, no compromises were reached. And we're back here again to make the same statements we made last year. To me, this is a situation where we're looking to spend more to do less, which does not make sense, especially when we're talking about public safety. [1:00:06](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3606s) In emergency management, we are accustomed to doing more with less. Now we're being asked to spend more to do less. I'll take any questions you have, y'all may have. [1:00:16](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3616s) Thank you, Mr. Westberg. I got a couple questions for you. So of the 159 counties- [1:00:21](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3621s) Yes, sir [1:00:21](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3621s) ... how many of them would you estimate are using some form of drones, either for law enforcement, first responder type, or for more of the, you mentioned golf course, kind of park and rec counties? [1:00:32](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3632s) I would say probably 60 to 70%, and that's being conservative. [1:00:36](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3636s) Okay. Can you... I know that the administration has, has, is... The Trump administration has implemented some form of executive order, I believe, on this issue. Can you walk us through that and what that means for your local municipalities? [1:00:50](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3650s) I know there's some restrictions on the FCC regarding additional drones being added that we can purchase from China, from DJI, from whoever. That's the main one that I'm, that I'm aware of and, and understand. Um, we're using drones that are already approved by FCC, have already been said that, yes, we- these drones don't seem to cause any, any issues. Could they go back and change that? Sure. And then we're, and then we're in a whole different situation. But we're using drones that have FCC have already s- have already signed off on. Um, I know that some of the manufacturers in China were, were restricted. [1:01:24](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3684s) We don't use many of the drones that are on any kind of those restricted lists, so that's my, my main understanding of those, those executive orders. [1:01:31](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3691s) I've, I've heard an argument that essentially, um, no parts are gonna be available. I think that may even be part of the executive order. Um, is, has that become an issue for you guys yet? Do you anticipate it being an issue, and how will you respond to that issue? [1:01:45](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3705s) I don't anticipate it being much of an issue. There is a significant amount of parts out there now in the market that are already here, and again, the parts that are already approved. A lot of, um, even American-made companies are able to make aftermarket parts that will work with the drones that we have now. The, the biggest concern is with batteries, and even the American-made drones use batteries made in China, so that's a significant concern, whether they're American-made drones or whether they're Chinese-made drones. [1:02:12](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3732s) Have you seen the glap- the gap close at all in the last year in terms of the technology gap between the Chinese Autel and DJI and the American-made drones? [1:02:20](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3740s) Capabilities, maybe. Cost, absolutely not. [1:02:23](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3743s) Okay. You, you used the number 2 to 3x. Is that, is that accurate, or is that hyperbole? [1:02:30](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3750s) That's pretty accurate. Um, a, a great example is... So I have, at, at my university that, for public safety, we have three drones. I have one that is a Skydio X2, four-year-old drone. It costs $15,000. I have two DJI drones that combined cost $3,500 with all the extra pieces along with it. And capabilities, they're different, but again, that's 10 times different. But from a capability to capability equal, you're talking two to three times. [1:03:00](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3780s) Okay. Any other questions from the committee? [1:03:03](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3783s) I- [1:03:03](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3783s) Senator Mallow and Nunn. [1:03:05](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3785s) Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, when we think about, uh, talking about local governments, for example, um, how would this work with local governments that may outsource some of those capabilities to, for example, a private engineering firm? Um, would they then be bound to ensure that that private company is using this specificity of drone? Would they be responsible for procuring it to make sure they could use it? I'm just concerned because we use drones for building inspections. We use them for other public safety events, and a lot of local governments that don't have the bandwidth tend to outsource that and contract that with private companies to provide. [1:03:42](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3822s) So is the government now on the hook because they've outsourced it, and the government's gonna tell the private business which drone they have to use, or are they gonna buy it? I'm, I'm just really concerned about that. [1:03:52](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3832s) I, I agree, and that's a great question. I think that Representative Clark would be better able to answer it because it's his legislation, but that is absolutely a major concern. And not only that, but we're gonna overtax the resources that we have. So a great example is GEMA has a drone fleet. If we start to not be able to buy and purchase and replace the drones that we have, we're gonna be calling them more often and really tax the resources that we have at the state level as well. [1:04:16](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3856s) Senator Mallow, in my reading of the bill, really the, the core of what you're asking about's in line 49 to 53. I don't think that it would apply to those contracted companies. I th- and we can ask Representative Clark when he comes back up, but I do think it would only apply to, uh, the state agency or county municipality or other political subdivision of the state. So I'm not sure that it would capture that, but we can certainly ask that. Thank you for your, uh, your testimony today. [1:04:37](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3877s) Thank you, sir. [1:04:37](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3877s) Um... All right, next up, Josh Pruett, and then after, uh, Mr. Pruett is going to be, uh, Don Strength. [1:04:50](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3890s) Mr. Chairman, committee members, thank you for your time this morning. Uh, my name is Joshua Pruett. I am a public safety UAS subject matter expert and end user advocate for drone use in public safety. Uh, in my professional capacity, I serve as the director of partnerships for the largest public safety UAS software company, uh, in the country, arguably, uh, internationally. Uh, I am a Georgia resident also. I served as a HADMAC technician and a firefighter here in the state as well. Um, since this committee let- met last year on this bill, uh, I gave lengthy testimony against it. [1:05:21](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3921s) Dozens of new agencies in the state have adapted this technology, and dozens more have expanded their use of this technology in the state. Um- Why do we want to take that away from public safety? There's been question raised at the federal level, "Oh, they're, they're banned at the federal level." The reason these drones are currently banned at the federal level is because the 2025 NDAA required specifically that DJI undergo a security audit from a federal agency. [1:05:51](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3951s) No single agency stepped up to perform that audit, and thus now we're seeing these bans in place. There's a lawsuit in place to hopefully overturn that, uh, but that's where things stand right now. Hundreds of agencies around the state are utilizing this technology today. There was a question asked, has the gap shortened or the gap narrowed? 100%. Domestic manufacturing has increased. We are seeing better capabilities coming from domestic manufacturers, but we still need to give public safety, and really all of our government agencies here in the state, the ability to make a decision to use the technology that they choose, the aircraft that they wanna use, what makes sense for their operations. [1:06:34](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=3994s) We don't have the massive budgets throughout the state that some departments, uh, like Brookhaven PD have with, with their massive DFR program that they put in place. Um, the real national security threat, I'll, I'll agree with Representative Clark, is not this technology. The national security threat is that we do not have domestic supply chains. This bill does nothing for those domestic supply chains. This bill takes these tools out of the hands of first responders and requires them to switch to something, you know, inferior. [1:07:09](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4029s) Um, Representative Clark, you're, you're a decorated war fighter, Army Ranger. I would never come to your FOB and try to take your M4 or your SCAR and hand you a Hi-Point carbine. Hi-Point carbine's an American-made weapon, right? To the layperson, it's just another firearm. But to someone who's intelligent when it comes to weapons systems, we know that a Hi-Point carbine could never shine a light against any of the weapons systems that our war fighters are using today. Why would we want to cripple public safety? [1:07:42](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4062s) Any, uh, questions along those lines, I'm happy to answer. [1:07:45](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4065s) I don't wanna s- I don't wanna speak for Representative Clark, but I do wanna ask you a question I think that's in the spirit of why he's bringing the bill. And I, I think that, uh, part of why he's bringing this bill is that it, it's endeavoring to onshore some of that more precise manufacturing that we are lagging behind China in. And that if you essentially, um, through the executive order at the White House, through bills like this, that you could essentially create the local stateside, uh, demand that would help these companies, uh, essentially scale in their production. [1:08:21](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4101s) I'd like to get your response to that. [1:08:23](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4103s) So, yes and no. All of the executive orders, all of the funding that's now flowing into the domestic drone market is not focused on the consumer, the prosumer, or public safety. We're focused on DOD and the war fighter. Companies in Ukraine can produce 30,000 drones a month. We cannot even shine a candle at that. We're not in, not the same ballpark. We're not on the same planet. But that domestic manufacturing is focused on DOD, not on public safety, not on critical infrastructure, not on STEM, STEAM, not on folks doing building inspections or runway inspections. [1:09:01](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4141s) It's focused on equipping our war fighters. [1:09:04](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4144s) But isn't that because that's where the demand and the money is flowing? Uh, and Representative Clark, I'm not trying to speak for you, but give me a nod if I'm on the right track, that you're essentially arguing that by passing bills like this, you would essentially cause capital to flow into these markets that would, that would create the innovation that would be necessary. [1:09:20](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4160s) The capital's flowing into the markets, but the market is focused on DOD. What the DOD needs is not what public safety needs. If you look at the, the blue list, which are the, the handful of aircraft that are approved for the war fighter, none of them have capabilities that trickle down to public safety. This is two completely different use cases. So yes, there's a ton of domestic money floating around, but it is all being funneled towards protecting our war fighter. [1:09:50](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4190s) And, uh, is your argument essentially that even if we do this, that the s- the scale of the, of the capital, of, of the needs of local law enforcement is not gonna match the scale of obviously fe- federal contracts, and therefore you don't think it's gonna shift either the R&D's focus or the, the manufacturing focus? [1:10:05](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4205s) No, not at all. Why would we... Like, we can't pass this bill in hopes that, oh, this, this is gonna start to trickle down. This is gonna make these domestic companies focus on public safety. They're gonna maintain their focus on the war fighter because again, looking what happened in Ukraine, we're seeing it firsthand. It's, it's the first war where it's in 4K on your phone. We're seeing FPV drone video every day. FPV drones, one-way attack drones, we need those. Our war fighters need those. Those aren't public safety tools. [1:10:35](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4235s) Let me ask you, um, the same question that Senator McLaurin asked Representative Clark, and that is essentially, uh, what has been confirmed on the data transmission question back to China? Are these, are these units capable of data transmission? Uh, obviously, uh, uh, do some of them push to a cloud? In, in your use cases, are they pushing to a cloud? And what has been either confirmed or, uh, what's just possible technologically? [1:10:57](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4257s) So there have been numerous third-party security audits of several manufacturers from overseas companies that have passed with flying colors. Again, the 2025 NDAA required that DJI go through a security audit. No agency stepped up to perform that audit. [1:11:18](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4278s) Any other questions from the committee? If my memory serves correct, after our meeting last year, you, myself, and Representative Clark met up in my office that day. [1:11:24](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4284s) That's correct. [1:11:25](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4285s) And we talked about the two of you trying to sort out a compromise on this bill. [1:11:29](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4289s) Yeah. [1:11:29](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4289s) Did you have any ideas in that? [1:11:30](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4290s) I, I think we were told, you know, at the end of this committee meeting last year that there would be some sort of study group or working group put together so that we could all come together on some common sense legislation that makes sense. Um, to my knowledge, no such group exists or was put together. I can't speak for the other agencies and organizations represented here, but I know I never, um, was made aware of anything. [1:11:52](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4312s) Have you, have you thought through or can you think through for the committee and bring it back to us, uh Things that would make this more palatable to you. Is it pushing the date out further? Is it, um, a wholesale change of the language, or is it essentially, no matter what we do, you, you would be opposed to this change? [1:12:09](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4329s) I think I have, you know, personal opinions, but I think that we need to get a group together to really come up with language that makes the most sense. [1:12:18](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4338s) Okay. [1:12:18](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4338s) Representatives from GEMA, State Patrol, uh, Atlanta Fire, Atlanta PD. There's so many industry professionals that we have here in the state that we could come up with legislation that will make sense. No one in this room does not want a domestic drone market. But right now, the tools that are being produced do not meet the requirements of our public safety professionals. [1:12:45](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4365s) I don't see any other questions from the committee. Um, thank you, Mr. Pruitt. [1:12:49](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4369s) Yes, sir. [1:12:50](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4370s) And Mr. Strength, you will be up next, and then Will Re- uh, Will Reed, you'll be up after him. White County EMA. Don Strength. You look familiar. Were you with us last year? [1:13:02](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4382s) I certainly was. [1:13:03](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4383s) All right. Well, welcome back. [1:13:06](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4386s) Good morning, uh, Chairman and committee. And I have produced a, uh, rather lengthy, uh, speech that I was gonna give to you guys this morning, but the first two speakers have hammered it very well. They have spoken the truth. I am, on the local level, I'm one of those pilots that fly every single day in a small rural county in northeast Georgia that goes from 30,000 people to 100,000 people every single weekend. [1:13:38](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4418s) I fly into the mountainous terrains of north Georgia. I rescue the 46-year-old male, or as- assist with the rescue of the 46-year-old male that fell off the top of Raven Cliffs Falls by providing visual video to the medic that's about to go in the woods to save this guy's life. He can look at the video. He can see the condition that the patient is in. I have flown the drone over the house that was burning with firefighters inside and was able to convey information to them that they had fire in the attic above them. [1:14:12](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4452s) I have found the 13-year-old autistic child that left from his home in a driving rainstorm in the middle of the night. I have done those things. I am boots on the ground. I fly these drones. I'm also the former UAS program manager for the Georgia Emergency Management Agency. I served as the area field coordinator for northeast Georgia for six years. I bought the very first American-made drone that GEMA ever bought, and I'm here to testify to you that everything that you just heard from Mr. [1:14:48](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4488s) Pruitt and from Mr. Westbrook is 100% true. The American-made drones are not there yet. Now, if someone- [1:14:56](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4496s) When did you make, when did you make that purchase? [1:14:59](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4499s) Uh, let's see. I'm gonna go with 2017, 2018. [1:15:04](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4504s) Okay. [1:15:04](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4504s) '19, somewhere right in there. [1:15:05](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4505s) It's been a while. [1:15:06](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4506s) It's been a minute. It's been a minute. [1:15:07](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4507s) Have you, have you looked at the tech recently? [1:15:09](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4509s) Yes, I have. [1:15:10](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4510s) And you're, you would still stand on your assertion? [1:15:11](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4511s) Yes, sir. [1:15:12](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4512s) Okay. [1:15:12](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4512s) Yes, sir. Absolutely. Will it get there? I certainly hope so, because if- [1:15:17](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4517s) Have you bought new equipment since we saw you last? [1:15:20](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4520s) I have not. [1:15:21](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4521s) Okay, so you're still s- flying whatever you were flying. [1:15:23](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4523s) It, which is a DJI. [1:15:24](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4524s) Okay. [1:15:24](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4524s) That's correct. I'm looking at purchasing a brand-new one right now. [1:15:28](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4528s) Can you do that under the, either, uh, whatever the executive order or the- [1:15:32](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4532s) Yes. As long as I don't use federal funds, yes. [1:15:35](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4535s) Okay. [1:15:36](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4536s) That's the primary restriction we have from the federal government right now, and that's why GEMA is flying what they're flying. That's why we had to purchase an American-made drone when I did it when I was with GEMA. [1:15:47](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4547s) Because the federal funds. [1:15:48](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4548s) Yes. [1:15:48](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4548s) Okay. [1:15:49](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4549s) Because federal funds were used. That is correct. [1:15:51](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4551s) So even in 2017, that was in effect? [1:15:54](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4554s) Eh, we could not use federal funds in sev... It was either '17 or '18. [1:15:58](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4558s) Okay. [1:15:59](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4559s) I can't remember the exact year. [1:16:00](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4560s) I'm just curious, then, what this latest change effectively did if y'all couldn't use federal funds already for the Chinese-made drones. [1:16:06](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4566s) Correct. [1:16:07](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4567s) Okay. [1:16:07](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4567s) Yeah. I, I believe the, the current, uh, thing that just passed has got a lot to do with the parts and the, the technology inside the drones. [1:16:15](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4575s) Okay. [1:16:17](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4577s) But- [1:16:17](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4577s) I'm sorry. I kinda cut you off. [1:16:18](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4578s) No, that- [1:16:18](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4578s) Why don't you wrap it up for us if you had anything else and then- [1:16:19](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4579s) Yes, sir. No, that's okay. I just wanna conclude with saying we're still asking the same question. It came up last year. It came up again today. It's been coming up for the last, ever since this was, became a thing. How is China receiving our data from our drones? How is that happening? What are they receiving? What are they getting that they're not getting off of the phone that's in my pocket, just like has already been spoken here today, or Google Earth? [1:16:50](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4610s) What are they receiving from the mountains of northeast Georgia that's assisting the Chinese against the United States? That's a very simple question. Prove it to me, and I will go into the parking lot beside this capitol and pull my DJI drone out of that car and destroy it in the middle of the street. I will be the first one to do that, but we can't prove it. We can't show it. We're building legislation on what we think that's unproven and on hope that in two or three years we're gonna be where we need to be. [1:17:25](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4645s) Sacrificing public safety on hope, to me, is not a place we need to go. [1:17:32](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4652s) All right. Thank you, Mr. Strength. Any questions from the committee? All right. Next up is Mr. Reed. And Mr. it looks like Pannell, uh, from Rabun County, you'll be next. And then, uh, Keenan, you'll be our last speaker that signed up. I'm gonna, um... Senator Ginn, will you sit in this chair for two minutes? [1:17:54](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4674s) I love this. [1:17:55](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4675s) It's, it's a risk. [1:17:57](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4677s) It's a, it's a, it's just, uh- [1:18:00](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4680s) Deja vu all over again. Go ahead, Mr. Reed. [1:18:02](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4682s) Uh, members of the committee, uh, with what all they've said, I d- I don't wanna beat a dead horse. I think we're all gonna say something similar. So I wanna... I'm shifting everything I was gonna say, but kinda hitting on what Don just testified to y'all. So from 2023 to 2026, we threw-- flew 386 missions with our drones in Fannin County. We're a small county. Uh, somewhere between 20,000 and 30,000 people that live in our county. On the weekends it can hit 100,000. We rescued over [1:18:36](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4716s) 60 people, including 23 juveniles, one of which was a young girl who met a person online, an adult male from Florida, and he convinced her to run away from home and hide in a ditch two miles down the road and wait for him to get there. Our drone found that. And I think now a lot of y'all know of Captain Worley that was shot in the back of the head in McCaysville. He was an officer. After helicopters flying over multiple agencies there, our drone found him almost 24 hours later, and when we found him, he was actually chasing a woman who had called 911 to report him, and our program got a letter of recommendation from the GBI for that. [1:19:13](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4753s) After that, they said, "What drone were y'all using?" I went down there and met with them, and they said, "We've never seen a drone with capabilities like this," and now that's the new drone that they just purchased. I can say that I've demoed almost every single USA-made drone, and I want them all to succeed. Some of them are incredible, like the ones that Brookhaven just got. The X10 is a great drone. The department right south of me, uh, I don't wanna name names 'cause I, I want these departments to be successful, and I want the USA-manufactured drones to survive and thrive, but they signed a five-year contract at $96,000 a year. [1:19:48](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4788s) And the USA-made drones, a lot of them are subscription-based. They call us more than they fly their own drones because of con-connectivity issues. They're not able to get their drones to take off. They have battery limitations. We went down to that county when they couldn't get their drones to work for a felony carjacking where a lady pulled over on the side of the road to ask a guy if he needed a ride. He pulled a gun on her. He then ran and was hiding in a kid's playground behind their house, and we ended up finding him as he was trying to break into a house on the back porch. And our drone responded to that because our drone-- We have one of the best drone fleets in the state of Georgia. [1:20:21](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4821s) I've flown for the GBI, FBI Safe Streets Task Force. I fly for Georgia State Patrol regularly. They call us because our drones are the best. It's-- If, if the USA-made drone was comparable, I would have it right now because our department's fortunate enough to where we do have the best drones. I don't buy it because it's USA-made or foreign-made, I buy it because the tool that I want for when I need to fly, it's-- it does the job. I have zoom that can read a license plate at three-quarters of a mile. I have thermal. I have night vision. [1:20:53](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4853s) Um, for our SWAT teams, I can light up the sky where your eyes can't see it using infrared. We have technology that no USA-made drone has even been able to get close to yet, and that's the problem. If it was the best, I would have it. So to hit on what all them said, I, I drive a Ford truck. It's made in America. It's, it's awesome. I like it because it's the best, but if someone was to give me a Ferrari, it's not made in America, but I'd probably take the Ferrari over my Ford truck. It's probably more of a conversation of, like, a Ford Taurus 'cause a truck and a Ferrari are a little different, but I think all y'all would make that decision. [1:21:25](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4885s) If, if you were comparing a Taurus to a Ferrari, you're gonna choose the Ferrari because it is... it's not even the same playing field, and that's the problem. Also, with USA-made drones, you can't buy them. So what they were talking about, a $15,000 kind of the entry level, that $15,000 is not a one-time purchase. We can get about five years out of one of our drones. That's-- We shelf our drones. Their end of life is around five years. Our cheapest drone is right around 9,000. Our most expensive is north of 50,000, but it's a single purchase that gets us five years. [1:21:57](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4917s) Our cheapest drone is better than some of the more expensive at about 15,000 to 20,000, and that's not a single purchase. You then pay that in subscription almost every year. You pretty much, for lack of a better word, kind of rent the drones from them and then pay them every year to keep using it. If you quit paying it, you lose features on the drone. So they are getting that subscription fee, which the USA has become really good at, 'cause that generates more revenue for these companies. To not beat a dead horse, that's pretty much-- Everyone else is gonna say the same things, but I just wanted to give a little different light on the situation. [1:22:28](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4948s) Thank you. I don't see any questions from the committee. Thank you for being with us today. Uh, Brian, Reagan County EMA. [1:22:40](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4960s) Is it Pennell? [1:22:42](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4962s) Yeah. [1:22:42](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4962s) All right. Thanks for being with us today. [1:22:43](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4963s) Thank you. [1:22:45](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4965s) Try to give about two minutes. We got one more bill we gotta get to as well after this one. [1:22:49](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4969s) Good morning, Mr. Chairman, and members of the committee. Thank you for this opportunity to come forward. I have, uh, forwarded you all a, a letter, and I hope you had a chance to review that prior to this morning. [1:22:57](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4977s) Pull the mic up to you. Pull the mic a little closer. [1:22:59](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4979s) Sorry about that. [1:23:00](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4980s) Try to turn you up too a little bit. [1:23:01](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=4981s) There you go. Uh, I can't echo enough what my colleagues have said. Um, we can all-- It's all the same testimony. We, we are those pilots. We are doing that, saving lives every day with these, with these DJI or these China-made drones. Um, the, uh... [1:23:21](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5001s) I did an agency assist with Georgia State Patrol. It was a chase one day. Um, multiple aircrafts had came in, couldn't locate the subject. We came in with our, our devices and located, um, that, and they apprehended the subject. Just, just an example of, of things that's going on every day. Um, limiting the drone capabilities will increase search times for missing people, delay emergency response, and potentially result in loss of life. Um, we all, we all-- You know that. You can see it. You've heard it. Um, and I would like to-- for you to consider public safety decisions must be based on operational effectiveness, not on policy assumptions [1:24:00](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5040s) So, you know, just, you c- you know, we need to look at the general public on this and not just target public safety. So thank you for your time. [1:24:13](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5053s) Thank you. I don't see any questions. Thank you, Mr. Purnell, for being here today. Keenan Rogers, then, um, Lieutenant Mooney, I want to, do want to have you come up if you don't mind, uh, if there's any comments from GSP as well. All right, Keenan, thanks for- [1:24:26](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5066s) Mr. Chairman- [1:24:26](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5066s) You may come up [1:24:26](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5066s) ... members of the committee, thank you for having me today. My name is Keenan Rogers with the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia. I rise today just to address some financial concerns for, uh, rural counties, specifically the mountainous regions. Um, these counties use drones for public safety, monitoring ridge lines, and, and storm assessment damage. Um, these are not luxury items. These are lifelines for these counties. And as we transition, uh, our fleet from noncompliant drones to those NDAA compliant drones, it's gonna cost counties... [1:24:57](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5097s) I mean, you heard some of the numbers thrown around, that, that, uh, Skydio X10 is $25,000 per drone. So it's just gonna cost the counties quite amount of money. So I'd just ask you to consider that as you take up this bill, and I'll sit for any questions. [1:25:12](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5112s) Do you have a question? I don't. I recognize Senator Still for a question. [1:25:15](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5115s) Does this guy look familiar? Have we dealt with him before in some other capacity? [1:25:20](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5120s) He's shot at a lot of us. [1:25:20](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5120s) He has shot at a lot of us. Um, Keenan, you know technology better than a lot of folks. Um, [1:25:28](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5128s) it's been danced around, but no one has a- addressed this with a very, very specific question I'm hoping you'll have the answer. Through your new role at ACCG and your prior role, how all of us know you, is there any... I mean, if you take apart these different drones- [1:25:47](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5147s) Mm-hmm [1:25:47](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5147s) ... and you, you look at the guts inside of them, I know we're talking about hypothetical fears- [1:25:53](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5153s) Mm-hmm [1:25:53](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5153s) ... but is there anything in these drones that can be disabled or, or manipulated in any way that can make them weapons of adversaries of the United States? Or is this something that is just hypothetical that we're trying to address to get ahead of? [1:26:11](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5171s) It's a great question, Senator. To the best of my knowledge, the answer's no. Um, none of our members addressed that when I was on the phone with them. In my own technological background, I have not seen or heard of any, any instances such as that. [1:26:23](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5183s) Thank you. [1:26:26](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5186s) Keenan, thank you. Always good to see you. Love seeing your, uh, seeing you rise, uh, in your career. Uh, it started here in the Senate. [1:26:33](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5193s) Can't have done it without you guys. [1:26:35](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5195s) All right. I think I've been maybe... Is it Chief Mooney? I, I- [1:26:38](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5198s) Lieutenant. [1:26:39](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5199s) Lieutenant. I've, I, man, I've, I'm getting various, uh, reports- ... as I'm trying to look it up here. So, um, I believe we a- I believe we gave you an opportunity to testify in this last year as well. Your agency was referenced, um, as first. I've heard that y'all have drones up here every day- [1:26:55](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5215s) Yeah [1:26:55](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5215s) ... uh, over at the Capitol. Is that- [1:26:56](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5216s) We, we have the capability to fly them- [1:26:58](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5218s) Okay [1:26:58](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5218s) ... every day at the Capitol. Yes, sir. Um, we have upwards of north of about a million dollars worth of drones for our assets for, uh, to fly and for anywhere from our executive protection units to our SKRT, which is our Specialized Collision Reconstruction Teams, to our SWAT teams, and everything else in between. We are in the process now of having a hard time getting parts for our drones, for DJ- D- um, the majority of DJI drones. So we're having to actually cannibalize some of our, some of our drones now to keep our fleet moving forward. [1:27:33](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5253s) As a, as a taxpayer, I would love to keep my tax dollars in the United States to, to purchase drones. Um, and at some point we're gonna get there. Uh, and I think the biggest thing with everybody right now is, uh, the funding mechanism of what's gonna happen if we do have to dele- delete our fleet. Uh, where's the funding mechanism gonna come from to, to help us recover and get those, that, that fleet back operational? [1:28:02](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5282s) Have y'all used any federal money to, to buy- [1:28:05](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5285s) No, sir [1:28:05](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5285s) ... anything in your existing fleet? [1:28:06](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5286s) No, sir. [1:28:07](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5287s) I, I think that there was some talk as this has been moving through on the federal side of maybe some federal grant money. Has any of that become available that you're aware of? [1:28:14](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5294s) Not that I'm aware of, no sir. [1:28:15](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5295s) Okay. I- if you had money, [1:28:21](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5301s) if you had unlimited resources, what equipment would you buy? 'Cause I'm hearing that the, the... even I'm hearing the money argument, but I'm also hearing the American stuff isn't as good. [1:28:30](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5310s) Right. [1:28:30](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5310s) And so- [1:28:31](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5311s) The... I would... If I could, if I could personally go out on a limb here, I would personally go with DJI 'cause of the technology and everything that we, the capabilities we have with that. Um, for instance, we can set, set one up over at headquarters off of United Avenue, um, up in the air, and we can zoom in onto the Capitol dome. The camera system on that drone that we have can actually look at the rivets in the drone ca- in the dome Capitol, of the Capitol, and you can count the, the rivets in each part of the Capitol, in the top of the dome. [1:29:03](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5343s) The American technology is just not that capable. So that's why I would go with DJI. [1:29:09](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5349s) Okay. Any questions for the lieutenant? [1:29:13](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5353s) Yes. [1:29:14](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5354s) Thank you for being here. Thanks for, for what you guys do. [1:29:16](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5356s) Yes, sir. [1:29:16](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5356s) Uh, I recognize Senator Ginn for a question. [1:29:18](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5358s) Uh, actually I have a, a motion if that's okay. [1:29:20](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5360s) Um, I do wanna give Representative Clark a chance- [1:29:22](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5362s) Yes [1:29:22](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5362s) ... thank you, to come back up. Um, Representative Clark, go ahead and come up. You've sat patiently through this testimony. I'll give you a chance to, to respond and answer any other questions there may be, and then I am gonna ask the committee to stick with us for about 15 more minutes. I do wanna make sure we have a quorum for, uh, Chairman Jones's bill as well. [1:29:40](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5380s) So I'll just say one thing that, just showing that the, not fear, but the, the potential for, you know, the transmitting of stuff. Even there's been with the high voltage transformers and substation components, um, and has been investigated knowing that they're all parts in these, um, transformers and substation components that could potentially trans- uh, transfer data back to China. You know, if, um- [1:30:08](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5408s) And, and, and that's been proven there's potential for that. So same thing with drones, it's like, yeah, you can say, well, where's the exact data? But it's been put out enough that there could be a potential to do that. So, um, I mean, um, I, I believe that is national security. You know, something... And it goes back again, that could happen potentially, but then also we rely way too much on China, I would say. And I mean, there is a potential ban on these parts and all that, so you can't even get parts for these DJI, um, and Autel drones. Um, and Trump and Xi are gonna meet again, and, you know, depending on that meeting and all that, whether it's a total ban, then we are gonna realize, so we need to halt- we need to start to have that shift, whether it's national s- security or just the manufacturing of drones. [1:30:49](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5449s) And I, and I think this bill is very balanced. It's not like, hey, we're gonna pass it, and it's done tomorrow. It gives that three-year window, which I would say extend one year. Um, I would just say, you know, there's a mention, oh yeah, well, we don't need military grade. Well, every federal agency has fallen in line across the board, not just the DOD, um, and they're doing okay. And we have multiple states, Democrat, Republican states, that have passed legislation like this, um, in the years past. So I think it's just stepping up to, to play our part in, uh, national security. Um, and I'll say somebody mentioned, oh, well, we have Google Earth, you know, so they can just use that. [1:31:24](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5484s) Well, then why do we use balloons? Why do we use drones and all that if you can just use Google Earth and satellites? Um, and again, somebody mentioned again, well, we have phones and all that, but it's not the same thing. Imagery is the most critical component when you go to war of knowing the layout of the land and all that and up close. Um, and so, um, you know, the will of the committee can do, you know, whatever they, um, they want, but I think we just heard just since last year bringing this bill, we're seeing major investment, and we are closing that gap. [1:31:55](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5515s) And I think passing legislation like this that gives that three-year window, it's not one year, it's three years, um, to get in compliance, you're gonna see even more of a massive investment from companies, investors stepping up to be able to meet that demand. Um, so I'll take any questions. [1:32:11](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5531s) We have a question from Senator Mallow. Recognized for a question. [1:32:14](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5534s) Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I'll, uh, be brief. Uh, Representative Clark, just a, a follow-up question here. Uh, I heard you mention, um, power lines and transmission lines and the likes, um, but that would be regulated and handled by Georgia Power, their subcontractor. Would this bill restrict a business's ability to use DJI drones? Uh, because when you talk about power transmission, many local governments like mine, for example, we had a big road paving project. They had a company do a contract, and that contractor that they contracted with flew the drone and collected all the data on the roads that had potholes that needed to be fixed and those sorts of things. [1:32:51](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5571s) So where you may be prohibiting government in this bill, but government outsources most of these technical capabilities to those who are experts, and I think the intended intent wouldn't actually be met because they would just still be outsourcing it 'cause they don't have the capabilities. Uh, and how would you respond to that with Georgia Power Company, third-party companies that governments contract with to provide that? Will we now be telling private businesses what to do? [1:33:14](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5594s) I mean, th- this is only handling Georgia agencies, not private companies and entities and all that. This is just our state agencies. Um, so that's it. Um, just government, not going in the private sector. And I'm not saying we don't need to. I mean, we need to. We have fallen behind in a lot of this on leadership of not seeing the future, not seeing 10, 15, 100 years down the road and looking just to today, and that's why we're in this situation, um, in a lot of areas on national security, from medicine to, um, a lot of things, drones and all that. [1:33:48](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5628s) So my final question would be, if we pass this and each of these state agencies procured a third-party vendor to then now handle this, we'd still be in the same boat that you were trying to stop us from being in because they could just outsource it to a third party now. And we would be contracting with a private business to provide a service that they already could have provided for themselves, but now they've just outsourced it. That doesn't seem to help us get anywhere. [1:34:14](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5654s) I mean, we can always add more legislation to, to protect now security. But I would say, again, it's a double e- I mean, I m- I mean, it's a double thing we're doing. It brings in manufacturing here. That's one of the biggest components, too. Like, they're talking about producing, you know, 100,000 drones over in Ukraine, and we can't match that. No, we could match it tomorrow if we got intentional, got focused. We could manufacture, produce our drones right here and not have to depend on China. Um, and so, I mean, it's double things. It's national security, but it's also the manufacturing that we need to step up and start to put pressure and that investors would step up and start manufacturing here. [1:34:47](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5687s) And America's capable of p- producing overnight. It's just we need to show them that we're headed in that direction, and this is a small step forward and very balanced, and it g- gives a lot of wiggle room, um, in the next few years. [1:35:00](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5700s) Senator Burns, you're recognized for a question. [1:35:02](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5702s) Yes, just to follow up. I appreciate Senator Mallow. He, uh, he kind of, uh, expressed my concerns, and I appreciate your, your response. I do think that the, this bill would not necessarily, uh, change how government would, would, uh, utilize drones. They would simply contract those to parties where they thought they could get a better service. So I, I have some concerns, but, uh, we'll see. Appreciate your input. [1:35:29](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5729s) Yep. [1:35:31](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5731s) I don't see any other questions. What's the will of the commit- or did you have anything you wanted to add? Sorry. [1:35:37](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5737s) No. I mean- [1:35:37](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5737s) Okay [1:35:37](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5737s) ... I mean, you can always add more stuff to a bill, but I think it's a very balanced bill, and what it does massively is just the in- the investment, number one, you're gonna see, and we already have multiple startups, multiple companies that are starting to expand, and this is just gonna ignite that. [1:35:50](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5750s) Okay. Thank you, Representative. Um, Senator Ginn, your question? [1:35:53](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5753s) Motion. [1:35:54](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5754s) Uh, you're recognized for a motion. [1:35:55](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5755s) Uh, thank you, Mr. Chairman. You know, Representative Clark, I, I really appreciate you bringing the bill. I don't think there's anybody in here more red-blooded than myself, so the, uh... And when I look at it, I'm like, "Hey, I wanna do the right thing for America." At the same token, we've heard testimony after testimony, testimony from people that are on the front lines, first responders, saving that red blood of Americans since the, uh, n- the use of drones. And so with that in mind, I, I'm gonna offer a motion, and I move that, that, uh, we table this bill until we, we have further, uh, consideration. [1:36:25](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5785s) I second that motion [1:36:27](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5787s) We have a motion to table from Senator Ginn, a second from Senator McLaurin. That, uh, is not debatable, um, so we will take a vote on that motion. All those in favor, please signify by raising your hand. [1:36:39](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5799s) That is unanimous. Um, Representative Clark, we will have one more meeting next Wednesday. Um, I would suggest maybe getting with Mr. Pruitt if there's some options y'all can bring back to the committee. We certainly would be w- open to hearing those at that time as well. [1:36:54](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5814s) I appreciate it. [1:36:55](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5815s) Thank you. All right, Representative Jones. I know you can talk fast. Um, we're gonna put that to a test this morning. [1:37:06](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5826s) You have House Bill 1230. [1:37:10](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5830s) Yes, sir. [1:37:11](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5831s) Another drone bill. [1:37:12](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5832s) I don't believe it's- [1:37:14](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5834s) Y'all may not wanna leave. It's another drone bill. [1:37:16](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5836s) Drone bill. [1:37:17](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5837s) Maybe a motion to amend. Um, you're working off of LC640073s, is that correct? [1:37:23](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5843s) Yes, sir. [1:37:23](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5843s) Okay. Take it away. [1:37:25](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5845s) Mr. Chairman, members of the committee, uh, thank you very much for your time. I believe I can be pithy, and at the same time, I don't believe this should take as much time. Uh, this dr- this bill, uh, is brought to you effectively because of the fact that we are having a significant issue in basic- basically, our places of incarceration. Um, we have bad actors launching, uh, drones from adjacent properties and nearby properties, and effectively operating drones over places of incarceration, and that includes jails and prisons, and dropping primarily contraband. [1:37:58](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5878s) Um, we have been asked by the Department of Corrections, uh, the Sheriff's Association, et cetera, to bring this bill. Uh, I've appreciated PAC, uh, joining me in drafting this bill, and, uh, we also have the support of the counties, and also of the City of Atlanta, our capital city. I'm happy to go through the bill, Mr. Chairman, but I understand because of brevity. Um, I'm happy to answer any questions, or if you'd like, sir, I'm, I'm happy to go through the main parts of the bill. [1:38:20](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5900s) Yeah, just tell us high level, um, essentially you are, you are banning anyone from flying a drone over the airspace of a place of incarceration, as you called it. [1:38:30](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5910s) I would break it up into two sections, Mr. Chairman. First section is effectively you can't go over a place of incarceration unless you have basically a reason to. For instance, did the warden permit you to? Are you a member? Are you doing some type of broadband work? Are you an FCC oper- you know, operator, pardon me, FAA operator? So if you're there as a bad actor, you are not a- allowed to go over the, th- that area of incarceration. One of the things the FAA has done for us, this is one of the first times they've given up air rights. We now own the air rights over the places of incarceration, so we're able to say what we want over them and what we don't want over them, so that's very important. [1:39:03](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5943s) The second thing it does is effectively says that you may not operate or may not get someone to operate a drone for the purposes of dropping off the bad, uh, dropping off the contraband into the places of, of incarceration. So if you can think about it this way, sir, you have organized crime. They hire a pilot. That pilot then drops off. We're stopping the, the cartel or the bad actor from doing that. We're stopping the pilot from doing that. We're making that a felony. On top of that, by acting over the place of incarceration and dropping the, um, the contraband, that is also a felony. [1:39:34](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5974s) What's your enforcement mechanism? [1:39:35](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=5975s) The enforcement mechanism primarily is going to be law enforcement and those either w- it may be the sheriff's department at the jails, or it may be the DOC at the state. And you'll see that we are providing to law enforcement lines 67 through line 75. We've given them the opportunity, uh, to use methods to be able to deter this, sir. And then in addition, lines 76 through 79 basically asks for them to act pursuant to this in terms of reasonable suspicion. [1:40:04](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=6004s) Section two- [1:40:05](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=6005s) Section two [1:40:05](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=6005s) ... looks like a bill that we had last year relative to flying a drone within 400 feet of a ticketed event. [1:40:12](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=6012s) Section two, it needed to just be a quick cleanup because as we were address, as what is being addressed in section one, which is 42-5-18, we needed to update that also based on what we did last year around ticketed events. [1:40:25](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=6025s) So you're basically saying... W- what's your update there? You're saying that this is not... [1:40:31](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=6031s) Basically, what we're saying, the first thing we're saying in section two, you'll see in 105 to 109, we are basically saying that the local government can't preempt. Again, similar to last year where we said that around ticketed events they cannot. And then we also updated, uh, the subsection in 122 to 123 regarding the distance by which you can be. But again, that is exactly what was done and passed and signed by the governor last year. [1:40:54](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=6054s) I talked to Chairman Jasper about this bill yesterday, and he said there's a, a landowner in his district who literally has to arm himself to travel to his own property because his land is being used to launch drones, um, because he's in proximity, I guess, to a, a, a prison. And his, uh, he has basically people coming onto his property on a, a somewhat regular basis to, I guess, fly drones over prisons. Are they, are they typically dropping contraband into these? What are they being used for as it relates to- [1:41:23](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=6083s) Yes, sir. And we had testimony in committee literally that we already... I, I hate to say we. The state is already prosecuting hundreds of people for doing that. But that's essentially it. They are dropping anything from drugs, to cell phones, to tobacco, SIM cards, you name it. And if you think about it, even if you had a capacity of five pounds on a drone, think of the number of SIM cards that you could drop because the fact that a SIM card is literally micro-ounces. [1:41:48](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=6108s) A- and I would assume that that activity is currently illegal. [1:41:50](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=6110s) It is currently illegal. [1:41:51](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=6111s) Right. [1:41:51](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=6111s) Yes, sir. [1:41:52](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=6112s) So- [1:41:52](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=6112s) If you look at 42-15B and B1, uh, it basically speaks about it is unlawful to procure and give to an inmate a gun, a pistol, and basically different contraband. [1:42:02](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=6122s) And you're getting- [1:42:03](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=6123s) And we referenced that [1:42:03](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=6123s) ... upstream of that to essentially address the drone flight. [1:42:05](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=6125s) And we're going up- That is correct. [1:42:06](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=6126s) Okay. [1:42:06](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=6126s) So if we were to use Sen- not, if we were to use Representative Jasper's example, that bad actor who hired the pilot to go onto that adjacent property now is subject to a felony. [1:42:17](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=6137s) Okay. Uh, Senator Ginn, you're recognized for a question. [1:42:19](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=6139s) I had a motion, sir. [1:42:20](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=6140s) Any questions from the committee before we take a motion? Senator Ginn, you're recognized for a motion. [1:42:25](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=6145s) Move to pass LC640073s. [1:42:29](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=6149s) We have a motion to pass from Senator Ginn. We've got a second from Senator Dickerson. All those in favor, please signify by saying aye. [1:42:37](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=6157s) Aye. [1:42:37](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=6157s) All those opposed, like sign. That motion carries unanimously. Do you have a Senate sponsor for this? Senator Still. All right. Excellent. All right. If nothing else, this meeting is adjourned. Thank you, Representative Jones. [1:42:51](https://vimeo.com/1174481058#t=6171s) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.