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AB-1160 • 2026

Military equipment.

Military equipment.

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Wilson
Last action
Official status
Assembly - Died - Appropriations
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The phrase 'or and ... or both' in the source text creates ambiguity about whether one condition alone is sufficient for purchases after January 1, 2027.

Rules for Police Military Equipment and Data Storage

This law requires police agencies to use American companies to store data from drones bought or owned, with new rules starting in 2026 that also require a switch to turn off unnecessary cameras on vehicles purchased after January 1, 2027.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires police agencies buying unmanned aerial or ground vehicles between January 1, 2026, and before January 1, 2027, to use an American data storage company for all collected data.
  • Prohibits police agencies from purchasing these vehicles on or after January 1, 2027, unless the vehicle has a switch to turn off unnecessary data collection programs OR the agency uses an American data storage company, or both.
  • Requires police agencies owning these vehicles before January 1, 2026, to use an American data storage company once their current contracts expire.
  • Prohibits American data storage companies from using, selling, renting, trading, or sharing the stored video and photo data with any other entity.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Law enforcement agencies that buy or own unmanned aerial or ground vehicles
  • American data storage companies hired to hold police vehicle footage

Terms To Know

Unmanned, uncrewed, remotely piloted vehicle
A powered flying or ground machine that operates without a person inside it.
American data storage company
A business defined by law as being American-owned and operated to store digital files.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The text does not define exactly which cameras or sensors count as 'necessary' for the vehicle to function.
  • The bill uses an 'or both' structure, meaning agencies may meet requirements by having either a switch OR using American storage, though it is unclear if one option alone satisfies all conditions in every case.

Bill History

  1. California Legislative Information

    Assembly - Died - Appropriations

Official Summary Text

Military equipment.