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title: Drones and Trespass: Surveillance Issues Hover in the Legislative Interim - Wyoming Liberty Group - Wyoming Liberty Group
description: Steve Klein reports on the Wyoming Judiciary Committee examining drone trespass and surveillance issues in the 2022-23 legislative interim sessions.
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*by Steve Klein*

Eight years ago, [WyLiberty supported](https://www.wyliberty.org/blog/government-regulation/wyliberty-supports-privacy-protections-against-unmanned-aerial-surveillance) a [Drone Protection Act](https://wyoleg.gov/Legislation/2015/HB0018) that would require law enforcement to get a warrant before using an unmanned aerial vehicle (that's a fancy term for "drone") to search private property in criminal investigations. The bill, sponsored by the Joint Judiciary Committee, passed the Wyoming House but [then died in senate committee](https://www.wyliberty.org/blog/legal-perspectives/wyoming-drone-protection-act-dies-in-senate-judiciary). The issue then went into hibernation: afterward, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department issued a rulemaking to include drones as "aircraft" for purposes of hunting regulations, but few—if any—drone-related bills were filed at the Wyoming Legislature between 2016 and 2021.

That changed in the 2022 Budget Session, when a "[Trespass by drone](https://wyoleg.gov/Legislation/2022/HB0128)" bill was docketed. Though it was not considered for introduction in the House (a common occurrence in budget sessions), the Joint Judiciary Committee is once again considering drones and other trespass issues in the 2022-23 interim. The committee's focus is on trespass on private property by everyday citizens, reflecting concerns about land rights and privacy.

 Steve Klein, who authored WyLiberty's policy paper "[Downing the Drones](https://www.wyliberty.org/images/PDF_Downloads/LB020-Drones.pdf)" in 2014 (it is now out of date as to various state laws but still legally sound as to Fourth Amendment doctrine) testified at the committee's first meeting on May 23 that it should not overlook government use:



 The committee decided to proceed with several bill drafts that it will consider at its next meeting in September. Whether a new committee version of the Drone Protection Act (or something like it) emerges for the 2023 legislative session or not, the concept should inform any serious regulation of unmanned aerial surveillance.