Prohibits the manufacture, modification, sale, transfer, equipping, use, or operation of a robotic device or an uncrewed aircraft equipped or mounted with a weapon within the state.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A399
SPONSOR: Vanel TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the general business law, in relation to prohibiting
robots and uncrewed aircraft equipped or mounted with weapons
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
Prohibits robots and uncrewed aircraft equipped or mounted with weapons.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
396-eeee(1): Defines important terms
396-eeee(2): Makes it unlawful for any person to manufacture, modify,
sell, transfer, equip, use, or operate a robotic device or an uncrewed
aircraft equipped or mounted with a weapon within the state.
396-eeee(3): Makes it unlawful to use a robotic device or uncrewed
aircraft to commit the crime of menacing or criminally harass another
person.
396-eeee(4): Makes it unlawful for any person to use a robotic device or
uncrewed aircraft to physically restrain or attempt to physically
restrain another.
396-eeee(5): Sets a penalty of not less than $25,000 and not more than
$100,000 for violating subdivisions two, three, or four of this section.
396-eeee(6): Exempts from the prohibitions of this section (1) defense
industrial companies within the scope of their contract with the U.S.
Department of Defense and (2) robotic device developers, manufacturers
or producers who operate robotic devices or uncrewed aircraft equipped
or mounted with a weapon for the sole purpose of developing or testing
technology intended to detect, prevent, and/or mitigate the unauthorized
weaponization of a robotic device or uncrewed aircraft.
396-eeee(7): States that it is not a violation of this section for a
government official acting within the public performance of their duties
to operate such prohibited devices for the purpose of the disposal of
explosives or for the destruction of property in cases where there is an
imminent, deadly threat to human life.
396-eeee(8): Requires that law enforcement obtain a warrant or other
legally required judicial authorization prior to deploying a robotic
device onto private property in any situation in which a warrant would
be required if entry would have been made by a human officer or prior to
deploying a robotic device to conduct surveillance or tracking where
judicial authorization would be required if such surveillance or track-
ing were conducted by a human officer or other technology.
396-eeee(9): States that any information regarding the use of a robotic
device by law enforcement shall be subject to release pursuant to arti-
cle six of the public officers law.
396-eeee(10): Permits the attorney general to bring an action to remedy
a violation of this section.
396-eeee(11): Permits any individual harmed by a violation of this
section to bring an action against the person who violated this section.
396-eeee(12): Requires that the attorney general promulgate rules and
regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this section.
JUSTIFICATION:
Advanced mobile robots have become enormously beneficial to workers in
many industries across the state and around the world, including energy,
conservation, entertainment, construction, manufacturing, and public
safety. These technologies keep people safe and help them do their jobs
more efficiently.
However, as these robots have become increasingly accessible to every-
one, there have been examples of people mounting dangerous weapons to
them, often with the goal of creating a sensational, viral social media
video. These videos have generated widespread fear and condemnation in
the press, academia, the robotics industry, and among online communi-
ties. Mounting weapons to robots or drones that are remotely or autono-
mously operated, widely available to the public, and capable of navigat-
ing within locations where people live and work, raises new risks of
harm and serious ethical issues. The development and use of such weapon-
ized robots will also harm public trust in the technology in ways that
damage the tremendous benefits they will bring to society.
Legislation on this issue is necessary in order to protect the public
from new risks of harm, to keep our communities safe, and to avoid
losing the benefits of these technologies that will arise from social
rejection if their misuse is not addressed.
This legislation prohibits the manufacture, sale, transfer, or operation
of a robotic device or drone that is equipped with a weapon, with
exceptions for operations that are in the public interest and not at
issue, such as bomb disposal activities conducted by government offi-
cials.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
05/21/24referred to codes
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
N/A
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have
become law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal
of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act
on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or
before such effective date.
