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PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 422 PRINTER'S NO. 893
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 468
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY LANGERHOLC, STEFANO, J. WARD, MASTRIANO,
PENNYCUICK AND VOGEL, MARCH 18, 2025
SENATOR J. WARD, TRANSPORTATION, AS AMENDED, JUNE 4, 2025
AN ACT
Amending Title 74 (Transportation) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, providing for interstate agreements
for research and deployment of unmanned aircraft systems.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 74 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a chapter to read:
CHAPTER 67
UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS
Subchapter
A. Interstate Agreements for Research and Deployment
B. (Reserved)
SUBCHAPTER A
INTERSTATE AGREEMENTS FOR RESEARCH AND DEPLOYMENT
Sec.
6701. Definitions.
6702. Interstate agreements.
§ 6701. Definitions.
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The following words and phrases when used in this subchapter
shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Department." The Department of Transportation of the
Commonwealth.
"Educational partner." A school entity or an institution of
higher education.
"Institution of higher education." As defined in section
1501-L of the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as
the Public School Code of 1949.
"School entity." A public school, including a charter school
or cyber charter school, private school, nonpublic school,
intermediate unit or area career and technical school, operating
within this Commonwealth.
"Unmanned aircraft system" or "UAS." An aircraft operated
without the possibility of direct human intervention from within
or on the aircraft.
§ 6702. Interstate agreements.
(a) Agreements authorized.--The department, on behalf of the
Commonwealth, may negotiate one or more interstate agreements
with an agency or educational partner recognized by the Federal
Aviation Administration for the research, testing, deployment,
training or education of unmanned aircraft systems.
(b) Approval required.--The Governor shall approve or
disapprove each agreement negotiated by the department under
subsection (a). An agreement shall become effective upon
approval by the Governor.
(c) Administration of agreement.--Following approval under
subsection (b), the department shall approve at least one entity
to administer the research, testing and deployment of, and
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training or education or use of, a UAS on behalf of the
department. To be approved, an entity must be:
(1) located on or near an airport in this Commonwealth;
or
(2) an educational partner that offers aviation courses.
(d) Location.--An interstate agreement shall operate in:
(1) A county of the fourth class with a population
between 133,000 and 134,000 based on the most recent Federal
decennial census.
(2) A county of the sixth class with a population
between 74,000 and 75,000 based on the most recent Federal
decennial census.
(3) Any other county in this Commonwealth as approved by
the department.
(e) Operation of UAS.--A UAS may operate under this
subchapter in this Commonwealth only if the UAS is:
(1) operated by a party to an interstate agreement
entered into under this section or otherwise authorized by a
party or the department consistent with an interstate
agreement entered into under this section; and
(2) authorized to operate and is operating in compliance
with all Federal, State or local APPLICABLE laws, regulations
and guidelines.
(f) Regulations.--
(1) The department may promulgate temporary regulations
to implement this subchapter that shall expire no later than
three years after publication or upon promulgation of final-
form regulations, whichever is earlier. The temporary
regulations shall not be subject to the following:
(i) Section 612 of the act of April 9, 1929
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(P.L.177, No.175), known as The Administrative Code of
1929.
(ii) Sections 201, 202, 203, 204 and 205 of the act
of July 31, 1968 (P.L.769, No.240), referred to as the
Commonwealth Documents Law.
(iii) Section 204(b) of the act of October 15, 1980
(P.L.950, No.164), known as the Commonwealth Attorneys
Act.
(iv) The act of June 25, 1982 (P.L.633, No.181),
known as the Regulatory Review Act.
(2) The department's authority to adopt temporary
regulations under paragraph (1) shall expire three years
after the effective date of this paragraph.
(g) Publication of interstate agreements.--The department
shall transmit a notice to the Legislative Reference Bureau for
publication in the next available issue of the Pennsylvania
Bulletin when an interstate agreement under this section is
entered into and becomes effective.
SUBCHAPTER B
(Reserved)
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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