S. 1272: Drone Federalism Act of 2017

115th Congress · introduced 2017-05-25 · Transportation and Public Works · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S3219-3220)

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2017-05-25 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S3219-3220) Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Drone Federalism Act of 2017

Plain summary

Drone Federalism Act of 2017 This bill requires the Federal Aviation Administration, in prescribing regulations or standards related to unmanned aircraft systems, to: define, and limit the scope of, the preemptive effect of such regulations or standards; preserve the legitimate interests of state, local, and tribal governments (e.g., protecting public safety); preserve state, local, and tribal authority to issue certain reasonable restrictions on the operation of a civil unmanned aircraft system within 200 feet of the ground or a structure; authorize, only with a property owner's permission, the operation of a civil unmanned aircraft in the immediate reaches of the airspace above private property; and establish pilot programs with state, local, and tribal governments to regulate the operation of civil unmanned aircraft systems, coordinate enforcement efforts with respect to such regulations, and identify best practices.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Drone Federalism Act of 2017

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA] · 3 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Mike Lee (R-UT), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tom Cotton (R-AR)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (4)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Federalism: The sharing of power between a national government and state governments. Each level has its own powers, and some powers are shared. Counties and cities get their powers from their state.
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-115s1272.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/115/s>

Record fed-us-cong115-s1272 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115