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S4145 • 2026

Creates fourth degree crime of operating drone equipped with weapon.

Creates fourth degree crime of operating drone equipped with weapon.

Crime Firearms
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Cryan, Joseph P.
Last action
2026-05-11
Official status
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Law and Public Safety Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Creates fourth degree crime of operating drone equipped with weapon.

Creates fourth degree crime of operating drone equipped with weapon.

What This Bill Does

  • Creates fourth degree crime of operating drone equipped with weapon.
  • Topic: Law and Public Safety Fiscal note: This bill has not been certified by OLS for a fiscal note.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-11 New Jersey Legislature

    Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Law and Public Safety Committee

Official Summary Text

Creates fourth degree crime of operating drone equipped with weapon.
Topic:
Law and Public Safety
Fiscal note:
This bill has not been certified by OLS for a fiscal note.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
S4145

SENATE, No. 4145

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED MAY 11, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� JOSEPH P. CRYAN

District 20 (Union)

SYNOPSIS

���� Creates fourth degree crime of operating drone
equipped with weapon.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act

concerning unmanned aircraft systems and supplementing Title 2C of the New
Jersey Statutes.

����
Be It Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New
Jersey:

1.

a.� As used in this section:

���� �Anti-personnel device� means
a firearm as defined in N.J.S.2C:39-1, any prohibited weapon or device under
N.J.S.2C:39-3, or any other projectile designed to harm, incapacitate, or
otherwise negatively impact a human being.

���� �Civilian unmanned aircraft
system� means an unmanned aircraft and associated elements, including
communication links and the components that control the unmanned aircraft that
are required for the pilot in command to operate safely and efficiently.� The
term shall apply only to unmanned aircraft and associated elements owned or
operated by a private individual or business entity.

���� "Operate" shall have
the same meaning as defined in section 1 of P.L.2017, c.315 (C.2C:40-27).

���� "Unmanned aircraft"
shall have the same meaning as defined in section 1 of P.L.2017, c.315
(C.2C:40-27).

���� b.��� A person who operates a
civilian unmanned aircraft system that is equipped with an anti-personnel
device shall be guilty of a crime of the fourth degree.

���� 2.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This bill establishes as a
fourth degree crime the operation of a drone that is equipped with a weapon.

���� Specifically, under the
provisions of this bill, a person who operates a civilian unmanned aircraft
system, commonly referred to as a drone, that is equipped with an
anti-personnel device is guilty of a fourth degree crime. A fourth degree crime
is punishable by up to 18 months imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000, or
both.

���� The bill defines �civilian
unmanned aircraft system� as an unmanned aircraft and associated elements,
including communication links and the components that control the unmanned
aircraft that are required for the pilot in command to operate safely and
efficiently.� The term applies only to unmanned aircraft and associated
elements owned or operated by a private individual or business entity.