S. 4309

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4309 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4309

To amend title 49, United States Code, to establish a pilot program for 
small, nonlethal deescalation unmanned aircraft to be used for law 
enforcement and public safety, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

April 15 (legislative day, April 14), 2026

Mr. Justice introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend title 49, United States Code, to establish a pilot program for 
small, nonlethal deescalation unmanned aircraft to be used for law 
enforcement and public safety, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Deescalation Drone Pilot Program Act 
of 2026''.

SEC. 2. SMALL UNMANNED AIRCRAFT PILOT PROGRAM FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND 
PUBLIC SAFETY.

(a) In General.--Chapter 448 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 44815. Small unmanned aircraft pilot program for law enforcement 
and public safety
``(a) Prohibition Regarding Weapons.--The prohibition regarding 
unmanned aircraft armed with dangerous weapons under section 363 of the 
FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 44802 note) is reaffirmed.
``(b) Pilot Program.--
``(1) In general.--Not later than 2 months after the date 
of enactment of this section, the Administrator of the Federal 
Aviation Administration shall establish a deescalation drone 
pilot program to review the potential use of nonlethal 
deescalation unmanned aircraft by Federal, State, local, or 
Tribal law enforcement responding to an active shooter event.
``(2) Contents.--The pilot program required under paragraph 
(1) shall--
``(A) address the process of reviewing and 
validating nonlethal weapons that may be affixed to an 
unmanned aircraft;
``(B) address training protocols for law 
enforcement and agents of the Administration for the 
use of nonlethal deescalation unmanned aircraft;
``(C) address operational and safety protocols for 
operators of nonlethal deescalation unmanned aircraft 
and agencies directly overseeing the operation of such 
unmanned aircraft; and
``(D) assess the efficacy of nonlethal deescalation 
unmanned aircraft in indoor active shooter events and 
the safety benefits associated with increasing the safe 
engagement distance between a law enforcement officer 
and an active shooter.
``(3) Partnerships.--In carrying out the pilot program 
under this subsection, the Administrator shall use existing 
partnerships with the unmanned aircraft system test ranges 
designated under section 44803, in collaboration with Federal, 
State, and large metropolitan area law enforcement.
``(4) Interagency aviation agreements.--The Administrator 
may enter into interagency aviation agreements, as necessary, 
with the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland 
Security, and State large metropolitan and rural law 
enforcement agencies to support the pilot program under this 
subsection.
``(5) Consultation.--The Administrator shall solicit input 
from, and coordinate with, relevant stakeholders as appropriate 
in carrying out the pilot program established under this 
subsection.
``(6) Report.--Not later than 3 months after the conclusion 
of the pilot program, the Administrator shall submit to the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
Representatives a report on the results of the pilot program 
that includes a plan outlining a proposed process through which 
a law enforcement applicant to such program may seek permission 
from the Administrator to operate nonlethal deescalation 
unmanned aircraft.
``(c) Rulemaking.--Not later than 60 days after submitting the 
report required under subsection (b)(6), the Administrator shall 
initiate a rulemaking to create a process through which the 
Administrator may provide approval--
``(1) for Federal, State, local, or Tribal law enforcement 
to operate nonlethal deescalation unmanned aircraft during an 
active shooter event; and
``(2) for manufacturers of nonlethal deescalation unmanned 
aircraft to operate such devices for testing, validation, and 
law enforcement demonstrations.
``(d) Manufacturing Requirement.--Any nonlethal deescalation 
unmanned aircraft used under the pilot program shall be manufactured in 
the United States, as defined by the Federal Trade Commission under 
part 323 of title 16, Code of Federal Regulations.
``(e) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Active shooter event.--The term `active shooter 
event' means an event in which--
``(A) an individual is actively engaged in 
unlawfully killing or attempting to kill people using 
explosives as defined under chapter 40 of title 18, 
United States Code, or weapons subject to chapter 44 of 
title 18 or chapter 53 of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986;
``(B) responding to the event poses a significant 
risk to human life, including the lives of law 
enforcement personnel and other individuals; and
``(C) absent an immediate use of force, the 
individual described in subparagraph (A) would continue 
posing a threat to human life.
``(2) Nonlethal deescalation unmanned aircraft.--The term 
`nonlethal deescalation unmanned aircraft' means an unmanned 
aircraft operated by law enforcement that--
``(A) is only equipped or armed with 1 or more 
nonlethal weapons, including those that may be subject 
to the definition provided in section 930(g)(2) of 
title 18, United States Code; and
``(B) may be equipped with other nonlethal devices, 
including intense sound distraction emitters, cameras, 
targeting sensors, speakers, strobe lights, and other 
similar collateral equipment.
``(3) Nonlethal weapon.--The term `nonlethal weapon' means 
a weapon, device, or munition that--
``(A) is explicitly designed and primarily employed 
to immediately incapacitate targeted individuals or 
property in the target area while minimizing--
``(i) fatalities;
``(ii) permanent injury to individuals; and
``(iii) undesired damage to property; and
``(B) is intended to have reversible effects on 
individuals and property.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 448 of title 49, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

```44815. Small unmanned aircraft pilot program for law enforcement and 
public safety.''.
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