By: Mario D. Mairena



On 6 March, AUVSI testified in the House and Senate in Maryland's
General Assembly. Mario Mairena, AUVSI senior Government Relations
manager, testified before the House Judiciary Committee in opposition of
HB 847 and the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee in opposition of
SB 926. 



As written, both bills would fundamentally change current search warrant
requirements used by law enforcement, which have been established by
decades of U.S. Supreme Court case precedent, and they would treat
manned and unmanned aircraft differently, although they are capable of
gathering the same data. Furthermore, the bills attempt to make a legal
and social premise that surveillance systems should be deemed illegal
regardless of positioning.  



In both chambers, in addition to AUVSI, the State's Attorneys in
Baltimore, Charles, Denton, Frederick, Hartford,  Prince Georges,
Sommerset and Wicomico County testified in opposition of HB 847 and SB
926. The ACLU, the University of Maryland and American University
provided written testimony in support of HB 847 and SB 926. The Maryland
Farm Bureau​ testified in support of HB 847 with amendments.



AUVSI strongly encourages members in Maryland to write to their state
elected officials and ask them to oppose HB 847 and SB 926.