SB241 Alabama 2024 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Gerald H. AllenSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2024

Title

Unmanned aircraft systems, requires head of ALEA to create and maintain list of approved drones and prohibits political subdivisions of state from buying unapproved drones

Summary

SB241 would require the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency to create and publish a list of approved unmanned aircraft systems and bar local governments from buying unapproved ones.

What This Bill Does

The Secretary of the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency must develop a list of approved unmanned aircraft systems by January 1, 2025, ensuring they comply with FAA standards and pose no security threat. The list must be published on the ALEA website and updated twice a year, on January 1 and July 1. Counties, municipalities, and other political subdivisions would be prohibited from purchasing unmanned aircraft systems that are not on the approved list.

Who It Affects

• Local governments (counties, municipalities, and other political subdivisions) would be restricted from buying unmanned aircraft systems that are not on the approved list.
• The Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency and its Secretary would be responsible for creating, publishing, and updating the approved list.
• UAS vendors and manufacturers would be affected because products must be on the approved list to be purchased by local governments.

Key Provisions

• Section 2: The Secretary must develop and publish a list of approved unmanned aircraft systems by January 1, 2025, including systems that comply with FAA standards and pose no security threat; the list must be posted on the ALEA website and updated on January 1 and July 1 each year.
• Section 3: Counties, municipalities, and other political subdivisions may not purchase an unmanned aircraft system that is not on the approved list.
• Section 4: The act becomes effective on October 1, 2024.
• Definitions: 'Approved unmanned aircraft system' means a system on the secretary’s published list; 'unmanned aircraft system' is defined as per Alabama law (Section 13A-7-4.3).

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

State & State Officers