20250AB__174996AMD INTRODUCED 2026-02-09 AMENDED_ASSEMBLY 2026-03-02 AMENDED_ASSEMBLY 2026-03-19 AMENDED_SENATE 2026-06-17 2025 AB AMD Introduced by Assembly Member Dixon LEAD_AUTHOR ASSEMBLY Dixon

An act to add

Section 1714.57 to the Civil Code, relating to civil law. civil law Interfering with wildfire suppression and emergency responses with drone. Existing law makes it a crime for a person to operate or use an unmanned aerial vehicle, remote-piloted aircraft, or drone at the scene of an emergency for the purpose of viewing the scene or emergency or military personnel, and thereby impede the emergency or military personnel, in the performance of their duties in coping with the emergency.

Existing law excuses a local public entity or public employee from liability for damage to an unmanned aircraft or unmanned aircraft system, if the damage was caused while the local public entity or public employee of a local public entity was providing, and the unmanned aircraft or unmanned aircraft system was interfering with, the operation, support, or enabling of any emergency service, as specified. Existing law makes everyone responsible for an injury occasioned to another by their want of ordinary care or skill in the management of their property or person, as provided.

This bill would prohibit a person from operating or using an unmanned aerial vehicle, remote-piloted aircraft, or drone to knowingly or recklessly interfere with, among other things, a wildfire suppression or law enforcement or emergency response efforts related to a wildfire suppression. The bill would authorize the Attorney General or a county counsel or city attorney to bring civil action to enforce the prohibition and authorize a prevailing plaintiff to recover civil penalties, injunctive relief, or reasonable attorney’s fees and costs, as specified.

MAJORITY NO YES NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION

Section 1714.57 is added to the Civil Code , to read: 1714.57. (

a) A person shall not operate or use an unmanned aerial vehicle, remote-piloted aircraft, or drone to knowingly or recklessly interfere with either of the following:

(1) A wildfire suppression, or law enforcement or emergency response efforts related to a wildfire suppression.

(2) An emergency response related to an incident for which a temporary flight restriction has been issued by the Federal Aviation Administration. (

b) The Attorney General or a county counsel or city attorney may bring a civil action to enforce subdivision (a). The prevailing plaintiff in an action may recover any of the following in any court of competent jurisdiction:

(1) A civil penalty not exceeding seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) for each violation.

(2) Injunctive relief.

(3) Reasonable attorney’s fees and costs.