Bill
SR 120
SR 120 urges President/Congress to pass S.157 and S.896 to curb drone misuse and expand counter-UAS powers for state/local authorities, boosting protection of critical sites.
Status snapshot
- Bill type: Senate Resolution (non‑binding)
- Introduced: February 18, 2025
- Current status (per filing): Introduced in the Senate; referred to the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee. Legislative record also shows read and adopted actions dated February 19, 2025 and transmittal instructions for federal recipients.
- Sponsor(s): Multiple state senators (list available in bill file)
- Action requested: Transmit copies to the President, congressional leaders, and the state's members of Congress
Purpose and intent
SR 120 is a state legislative resolution urging the President and Congress to enact two pieces of federal legislation addressing unmanned aircraft systems (UAS, “drones”): S.157 (the “Drone Act of 2023”) and S.896 (the “SHIELD U Act”). The resolution frames the request as a public‑safety response to repeated, unexplained nighttime drone incursions reported in the state beginning November 18, 2024, over sensitive locations (e.g., military installations, major reservoirs, and a private presidential residence).
Key provisions and requests in the resolution
- States the factual background: thousands of reported small UAS sightings since Nov 18, 2024, including over sensitive infrastructure and coincident activity at some U.S. bases overseas.
- Notes a limitation: federal aviation law and FAA authority constrain state and local governments’ ability to exercise formal enforcement and counter‑UAS functions in national airspace.
- Urges the President and Congress to enact:
- S.157 — “The Drone Act of 2023”: described in the resolution as creating a federal statutory framework to criminalize various kinds of drone misuse.
- S.896 — “The SHIELD U Act”: described as authorizing and expanding counter‑UAS (counter‑drone) activities by state, local, airport law enforcement, and federal agencies.
- Instructs transmittal of the resolution to federal executive and legislative leaders and all members of Congress elected from the state.
Who would be affected / implications
- Federal actors: Congress (legislative action requested), the President, and the FAA (existing regulatory authority implicated).
- State and local law enforcement and airport authorities: the resolution seeks federal authorization to expand counter‑UAS operations and enforcement roles.
- Critical infrastructure owners/operators and the public: potential for strengthened protections against UAS incursions.
- Drone operators: possible expansion of federal criminal prohibitions and enforcement against misuse.
- Intergovernmental relationships: passage of the urged federal bills could shift the balance of authority between the FAA and state/local entities with respect to counter‑UAS activities.
Procedural / timeline notes
- SR 120 itself is a formal expression of the state Senate’s position (non‑legally binding); it asks federal action rather than creating state law.
- If adopted, the resolution is transmitted to the President, the Majority and Minority Leaders of the U.S. Senate, the Speaker and Minority Leader of the U.S. House, and all federal representatives from the state.
Related legislation
- Federal bills mentioned in the resolution: S.157 (Drone Act of 2023) and S.896 (SHIELD U Act).
- State companion or related measures referenced in file: HR 62, SCR 149, AR 176 (as noted in bill metadata).
Potential considerations
- Passage of the requested federal measures could enhance local counter‑UAS authority and criminal enforcement, but may also raise issues around aviation preemption, civil liberties, and the need for clear operational and safety standards coordinating FAA, federal, and state/local roles.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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