Bill
AB 1160
AB 1160 requires CA law enforcement to store drone/UGV data with U.S.-based storage providers and/or enable data-collection disable options; contracts ban sharing data with others.
Status: Introduced Feb 20, 2025. Latest: In committee — Held under submission (Assembly Appropriations, 05/23/2025). Passed prior policy committees unanimously.
Purpose
- To restrict how California law enforcement agencies purchase and store data from unmanned, uncrewed, remotely piloted powered aerial or ground vehicles (e.g., drones, UGVs), with the stated goals of protecting data security and limiting third‑party access to sensitive imagery and recordings.
Key provisions
- New Government Code Section 7073.5 establishes procurement and data‑storage requirements for uncrewed remotely piloted aerial or ground vehicles acquired by law enforcement agencies.
- Purchase requirements (effective dates):
- For vehicles purchased on or after January 1, 2027: an agency may not purchase such a vehicle unless at least one of the following is true:
- The vehicle has an option to turn off any data‑collection programs that are not necessary for vehicle function; or
- The agency uses an “American data storage company” to house all collected data (including video and photographic images).
- For vehicles purchased on or after January 1, 2026 and before January 1, 2027: agencies must use an American data storage company to house all collected data.
- For vehicles owned or possessed before January 1, 2026: agencies must transition to using an American data storage company after any existing data‑storage contract expires.
- Contract restrictions: Contracts with American data storage companies must prohibit those companies from using, selling, renting, trading, or otherwise sharing the data with other entities. The collected data remains the sole ownership and control of the law enforcement agency.
- Definition: An “American data storage company” is any business formed and headquartered in any U.S. state or D.C., that provides digital data storage services (including cloud), has adopted security measures to protect data, and has dedicated servers or hard drives located in the United States.
Who is affected
- California law enforcement agencies that purchase or operate drones/UGVs.
- Vendors/manufacturers of uncrewed aerial/ground vehicles (may need to offer configurable data‑collection controls).
- Data storage providers — particularly foreign‑based cloud providers — because agencies will be required to use U.S.-based storage providers as defined.
Potential impacts and considerations
- Privacy/security: Keeps law enforcement‑collected imagery and recordings stored with U.S.-based providers and restricts commercial reuse.
- Procurement/compliance: Agencies will need to ensure new purchases meet the disablement option or contract with qualifying domestic storage providers; existing devices must comply once current contracts expire.
- Costs: Possible increased costs for domestic storage or for retrofitting systems to provide data‑collection disable options.
- Enforcement/implementation: The bill text specifies contractual prohibitions but does not detail civil penalties or enforcement mechanisms beyond contract terms.
- Legislative posture: Referred through Public Safety and Privacy & Consumer Protection committees with unanimous committee votes; currently in Assembly Appropriations suspense file (held under submission as of 05/23/2025).
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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