WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced the Stopping Harmful Incidents to Enforce Lawful Drone Use (SHIELD-U) Act to equip state and local law enforcement with the authority needed to protect their citizens and communities from drone threats.

The need to respond to drone threats is increasing as commercial and personal use becomes more widespread. Sen. Lee’s legislation gives the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), along with state and local law enforcement, the authority to detect, identify, and mitigate drone threats on commercial service airport property, including the airspace involved in the takeoff and landing of aircraft. It further grants state and local law enforcement similar counter drone authority within their respective jurisdiction.

Of the bill, Sen. Lee said, “State and local law enforcement agencies cannot ensure the safety of their communities when the federal government restricts their ability to respond to active drone threats. Rather than waiting on the federal government, which often lacks the resources and capital to respond to threats effectively, this bill grants local authorities the latitude to quickly identify and mitigate threats.”