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Texas lawmaker wants to restrict drone surveillance of homes

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    State representative behind bill

  • Duration 4:43
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Droughns they're not welcome in Seattle the city's democratic mayor ordering the police department.

To abandon its use -- planned use for them.

Following protests from people there -- privacy advocates Seattle's police department had purchased two drones they had used them yet.

Pending approval from the FAA well.

Speaking of drones and privacy concerns a lawmaker in Texas wants to ban them from taking pictures of homes and other private property.

But there's already a big effort to stop that measure -- Gooden is the state represented -- behind the bill.

And he joins us live this morning good to see you thanks very much for joining us representative good good morning -- -- to tell us about this bill what are you proposing.

Well it it -- to.

Two things -- and it makes drones that we're not trying to get rid of drones were simply saying that drones cannot take pictures.

Or film over Texans private property without their permission.

And the other thing it does it says -- if governmental agencies or law enforcement are gonna use drones.

They need to search warrant -- they need to be responding to an emergency or someone's life needs to be in danger.

Or we need to be on the border with border security but aside from that.

Jones had no business taking pictures of private citizens other enjoying their private property and in the building -- -- what's the punishment for anyone that would break the law.

It's a misdemeanor offense and then it's another offense if let's say they capture images and then.

They put that on the Internet -- that's used against you in some way but you -- you mention this as far as getting a search warrant you have carved out.

Examples where drone use is necessary.

And permissible.

Even with the the law that you'd like to have an active.

Read that DA the hobbyists I think you're are worried they were trying to take away drones or make them illegal.

We're not trying to do that if you're enjoying a drone if you're looking they're going over parks -- if you're using them for.

A researcher regional purposes we don't want to affect you we're just simply saying.

You need to be careful if you're using a drone over private property and citizens -- and a reasonable expectation of privacy.

In this legislation simply says that the government shouldn't be surveilling -- indiscriminately at all hours of the day or just because they want to continue to search warrant.

And enthusiast and need to be careful if there are pursuing their hobby.

You -- the hobbyists and the researchers.

And they come out against this legislation and one of them says it's written so broadly.

And it doesn't really discriminate between.

A -- for example who would be trying to you know eavesdrop on somebody's privacy.

-- is someone who was a hobbyists or who was a researcher who was using this for you know completely harmless purposes.

Yet in at Morgan we're gonna work on that before it hits the floor of the house representatives and a few months this is -- a starting point.

And we wanted to start a discussion in Texas I was shocked.

When I filed this -- that no one had even filed legislation we haven't even talked about it in Texas and just now it seems in the last few weeks the national conversation started.

And I'm worried about hobbyists thinking that we're trying to take away their hobby but I'm more worried about private property rights and privacy.

And then making sure the Texans are able to sleep at night and go out their backyard -- -- having a barbecue.

Are just enjoying the day knowing that they're now being watched -- -- you don't normally see.

Members of the Tea Party and the ACLU.

On the same side of an issue but they really are in this case both in support of some of the legislation that -- proposing.

And laws that have been proposed in other states we mentioned Seattle a moment ago but there are about almost a dozen states around the country that are considering.

Similar types of bills as we head to the future with drones and drone technology.

And we've seen -- we've been showing some pictures of some of the mini drones that are that are in use right now do you foresee a time when.

People everybody will have their own drone.

You see that -- and as.

I do I think if we're not careful we're gonna be innocent situation where we're just accepting.

Of -- flying above and filling her every move and things are getting so cheaper -- it's fairly flat screen TV's fifteen years ago.

They were crazy expensive and now they're very cheap and drones are heading in that direction.

And we don't have a serious -- problem today but it is very difficult.

To pass a bill.

When you've got a huge -- lobby fighting against you and today we don't have that today.

We don't have the -- watching -- every move but we're heading in that direction they're getting cheaper you can buy them almost at a toy store.

And the more expensive they are the higher quality they are and they're getting cheaper as time passes and I think we need to act now.

-- -- with other states across the country and to make sure that we don't have a problem that we can't -- in years to come -- Gooden is a state lawmaker -- estate represented down in Texas and he joins us live this morning.

-- to talk to you sir thanks very much for your time.

Appreciate it thank you.

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