Oregon lawmakers are considering a bill that would loosen restrictions on how police can use drones.
A coalition of privacy and racial justice advocates says the measure would allow wide-spread, warrantless searches.
Oregon already has laws on the books limiting how and when drones can be used, mostly for emergencies or when an officer has obtained a warrant.
Senate Bill 238 would allow Oregon law enforcement to use drones in normal policing work.
Supporters, including police drone operators from Eugene, Springfield and Albany, have called the bill a common sense modernization.
In written testimony, Marion County Sheriff Nick Hunter–representing the Oregon State Sheriffs’ Association–told lawmakers that allowing drones in more situations could help address widespread understaffing while keeping individual officers safe.
“[The bill] is a thoughtful approach that gives law enforcement critical tools – without compromising Oregonians’ rights,” wrote Hunter.
But in a press conference Monday, ACLU of Oregon Policy Director Jessica Maravilla said the bill leaves far too many openings for abuse, especially in light of the Trump Administration’s response to protests in Los Angeles over the weekend.
“As Trump’s terrifying attacks on our country grow, we need Oregon lawmakers to ensure that our state is leading the way in protecting our democracy, our civil rights and our civil liberties,” she said.
Maravilla said lawmakers should also be cautious about how drone use could contribute to mass surveillance. Some of the private companies currently in the police drone market, such as Flock Safety, already have nationwide surveillance networks with AI-enabled license plate readers.
"We should not allow drones surveillance without court oversight, over our homes and in our backyards, above abortion clinics, over places of worship and rural areas of Oregon, and so much more," she said.
Members of the coalition, which included Don’t Shoot PDX, Oregon Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Oregon Justice Resource Center, Centro Cultural, and Latino Policy Council, urged lawmakers to vote down the proposal.
The bill awaits a vote in the House Rules committee, where a public hearing has been scheduled for Wednesday. It easily passed the Senate in April on a bipartisan vote.
