Int. No. 2146
By Council Member Vallone
A Local Law in relation to the establishment of a task force to study the regulation of unmanned aerial vehicles
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Definitions. For purposes of this local law, the following terms have the following meanings:
Aircraft. The term “aircraft” means a device that is used or intended to be used for flight in the air, including a captive balloon, except a parachute or other device designed for use as and carried primarily as safety equipment.
Avigate. The term “avigate” means to pilot, steer, direct, fly or manage an aircraft in or through the air, whether from within the aircraft or remotely. The term “avigate” includes managing a computer system that pilots, steers, directs, flies or manages an aircraft.
City. The term “city” means the city of New York.
Task force. The term “task force” means the unmanned aerial vehicle task force established by this local law.
Unmanned aerial vehicle. The term “unmanned aerial vehicle” means an aircraft that is avigated without a human pilot on board.
§ 2. Task force established. There is hereby established a task force to be known as the unmanned aerial vehicle task force.
§ 3. Duties. The task force shall conduct a study considering commercial and private uses of unmanned aerial vehicles, landowner and privacy rights, as well the economic effects of legalization and regulation of various uses of unmanned aerial vehicles in the city.
§ 4. Membership. a. The task force shall be composed of the following members:
1. The commissioner of transportation or such commissioner’s designee, who shall serve as chair;
2. The commissioner of buildings or such commissioner’s designee;
3. The commissioner of parks and recreation or such commissioner’s designee;
4. The police commissioner or such commissioner’s designee;
5. The fire commissioner or such commissioner’s designee;
6. The commissioner of emergency management or such commissioner’s designee;
7. The chairperson of the New York city housing authority or such chairperson’s designee;
8. The commissioner of the mayor's office of media and entertainment, or such commissioner’s designee;
9. Eight members appointed by the mayor, at least two of whom shall be representatives from the unmanned aerial vehicle manufacturing industry, two of whom shall be representatives from the unmanned aerial vehicle commercial industry, one of whom shall be a representative from the film industry and one of whom shall be a representative from an electric utility company; and
10. One member appointed by the speaker of the council.
b. All appointments required by this section shall be made no later than 90 days after the effective date of this local law.
c. Each member of the task force shall serve at the pleasure of the officer who appointed the member. In the event of a vacancy on the task force, a successor shall be selected in the same manner as the original appointment. All members of the task force shall serve without compensation.
§ 5. Meetings. a. The chair shall convene the first meeting of the task force no later than 30 days after the last member has been appointed.
b. The task force may invite relevant experts and stakeholders to attend its meetings and to otherwise provide testimony and information relevant to its duties.
c. The task force shall meet no less than once each month to carry out the duties described in section three. The task force shall hold at least one public hearing before submitting the report required by section six.
d. The meeting requirement of subdivision c shall be suspended when the task force submits its report as required by section six.
§ 6. Report. No later than six months after the first meeting of the task force, the task force shall submit a report to the mayor and the speaker of the council setting forth its recommendations for comprehensive policy, legislation and rules for the operation and use of unmanned aerial vehicle technology within the city. The report shall include a summary of information the task force considered in formulating its recommendations.
§ 7. Agency support. Each agency affected by this local law shall provide appropriate staff and resources to support the work of such agency related to the task force.
§ 8. Termination. The task force shall terminate 180 days after the date on which it submits its report, as required by section six.
§ 9. Effective date. This local law takes effect immediately.
NAB
LS #8617
10/9/20 10:20AM