This bill proposes an amendment to Minnesota Statutes 2024, Section 626.19, Subdivision 3, expanding the permissible uses of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) by law enforcement agencies. The amended statute allows UAV use in the following situations:

1. During or after emergency situations involving risk of death or bodily harm.
2. Over a public event where there is a heightened safety risk.
3. To counter threats of terrorist attacks, based on credible intelligence.
4. To prevent loss of life and property in natural or manmade disasters and assist in rescue and recovery operations.
5. For threat assessments before a specific event.
6. To collect information from public areas when there is reasonable suspicion of criminal activity.
7. For crash reconstruction after serious or deadly collisions on public roads.
8. Over public or private areas (with written consent from occupants) for officer training or public relations.
9. For non-law enforcement purposes, if requested in writing by another government entity, specifying the reason and duration of use.
10. To assist in the search for a missing person.

The bill expands law enforcement's UAV authority beyond its current scope, adding new justifications for their use, including public relations, crash investigation, and government-requested operations.