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A4621
ASSEMBLY, No. 4621
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
INTRODUCED MARCH 10, 2026
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman� ALEX SAUICKIE
District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
���� Permits certain entities to operate unmanned aircraft
systems to inspect damage to critical infrastructure.�
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� As introduced.
��
An Act
concerning the operation of unmanned aircraft
systems by certain entities and supplementing Title 52 of the Revised Statutes.
����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:
����
1.��� a.� The Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, in
consultation with the Board of Public Utilities and the Department of
Environmental Protection, shall adopt, pursuant to the �Administrative
Procedure Act,� P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations
permitting a public utility, cable television company, or telecommunications
service provider to operate an unmanned aircraft system in this State to
assess, inspect, operate, or otherwise maintain any critical infrastructure
owned or operated by the public utility, cable television company, or
telecommunications service provider within this State, provided that the public
utility, cable television company, or telecommunications service provider shall
operate the unmanned aircraft system in a manner consistent with applicable
federal law and regulations. Nothing in this section shall be construed to
affect any federal preemption of State law governing aviation.
����� b.�� A
public utility, cable television company, or telecommunications service
provider may contract with a third party to operate unmanned aircraft systems,
pursuant to any applicable regulations adopted by the Federal Aviation
Administration and any applicable regulations adopted by the Office of Homeland
Security and Preparedness pursuant to this section, to conduct the inspections
described in subsection a. of this section.
����� c.�� For
the purposes of this section:
����� �Cable
television company� shall have the same meaning as provided in section 3 of
P.L.1972, c.186 (C.48:5A-3).
����� �Critical
infrastructure� means the physical systems and assets of a public utility,
cable television company, or telecommunications service provider that are so
vital to the State that the full or partial incapacity or destruction of these
systems and assets would have a debilitating impact on the State�s security,
economy, public health, public safety, or any combination thereof.
����� �Operate�
shall have the same meaning as provided in section 1 of P.L.2017, c.315
(C.2C:40-27).
����� �Public
utility� shall have the same meaning as provided in R.S.48:2-13, and shall
include dams subject to the provisions of the �Safe Dam Act,� P.L.1981, c.249
(C.58:4-8.1 et al.).
����� �Telecommunications
service provider� means an entity that does business in this State and that
offers telecommunications service, including, but not limited, to Internet
service, directly to the public, or to classes of users as to be effectively
available directly to the public, whether wireless or wireline, and regardless
of whether a fee is charged for the use of the service.
����� �Unmanned
aircraft� shall have the same meaning as provided in section 1 of P.L.2017,
c.315 (C.2C:40-27).
����� �Unmanned
aircraft system� shall have the same meaning as provided in section 1 of
P.L.2017, c.315 (C.2C:40-27).
���� 2.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.
STATEMENT
���� This bill directs the Office
of Homeland Security and Preparedness, in consultation with the Board of Public
Utilities and Department of Environmental Protection, to adopt rules and
regulations permitting public utilities (utilities), cable television (CATV)
companies, and telecommunications service providers to operate unmanned
aircraft, commonly known as drones, in this State. The operation of the drones is
to be used to assess, inspect, operate, or otherwise maintain the critical
infrastructure of the utilities, CATV companies, and telecommunications service
providers within this State. The use of drones is to help facilitate the quick
identification of damaged infrastructure to efficiently restore the associated
service in a timely manner.
���� The bill provides that the
utilities, CATV companies, and telecommunications service providers are to
operate the drones in a manner consistent with applicable federal law and
regulations.� The utilities, CATV companies, and telecommunications service
providers may contract with a third party to operate unmanned aircraft systems
pursuant to the regulations of the Federal Aviation Administration
and
any regulations of the Office of Homeland
Security and Preparedness to conduct the inspections provided for under the
bill. �Nothing in this bill is to be construed to affect federal preemption of
State law governing aviation.