New York A 399: Prohibits robots and uncrewed aircraft equipped or mounted with weapons

Bill Text

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A00399 Summary:

BILL NOA00399 

&nbsp

SAME ASSAME AS S03133

&nbsp

SPONSORVanel

&nbsp

COSPNSRLunsford, Blumencranz, Berger, Taylor, Epstein, Santabarbara, Weprin, Cunningham, Solages, Kassay

&nbsp

MLTSPNSR

&nbsp

Add §396-eeee, Gen Bus L

&nbsp

Prohibits the manufacture, modification, sale, transfer, equipping, use, or operation of a robotic device or an uncrewed aircraft equipped or mounted with a weapon within the state.

Go to top A00399 Actions:

BILL NOA00399 

&nbsp

01/08/2025referred to codes

01/07/2026referred to codes

Go to topA00399 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topA00399 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topA00399 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 399

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN ASSEMBLY

 (Prefiled)

 January 8, 2025
 ___________

 Introduced by M. of A. VANEL, LUNSFORD -- read once and referred to the
 Committee on Codes

 AN ACT to amend the general business law, in relation to prohibiting
 robots and uncrewed aircraft equipped or mounted with weapons

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. The general business law is amended by adding a new section
 2 396-eeee to read as follows:
 3 § 396-eeee. Robots and uncrewed aircraft equipped or mounted with
 4 weapons prohibited. 1. As used in this section, the following terms
 5 shall have the following meanings:
 6 (a) "Robotic device" means a mechanical device capable of locomotion,
 7 navigation, or movement on the ground and that operates at a distance
 8 from its operator or supervisor, based on commands or in response to
 9 sensor data, artificial intelligence, or a combination thereof.
 10 (b) "Uncrewed aircraft" means an aircraft that is operated without the
 11 possibility of direct human intervention from within or on the aircraft.
 12 (c) "Weapon" means any device designed to threaten or cause death,
 13 incapacitation, or physical injury to any person, including but not
 14 limited to stun guns, firearms, machine guns, chemical agents or irri-
 15 tants, kinetic impact projectiles, weaponized lasers, flamethrowers and
 16 explosive devices.
 17 (d) "Law enforcement" means a lawfully established state or local
 18 public agency that is responsible for the prevention and detection of
 19 crime, the enforcement of local government codes and the enforcement of
 20 penal, traffic, regulatory, game or controlled substance laws and
 21 includes an agent of the law enforcement agency.
 22 (e) "Defense industrial company" means a company that has a contract
 23 with the United States department of defense to design, manufacture,
 24 develop, modify, upgrade, or produce a robotic device, and includes any

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD01109-01-5

 A. 399 2

 1 employees or agents authorized by that defense industrial company to
 2 engage in activities relating to such a contract on its behalf.
 3 (f) "Disrupter technology" means a class of devices designed to assist
 4 in the disposal of explosives or suspected explosives.
 5 2. It shall be unlawful for any person, whether or not acting under
 6 color of law, to manufacture, modify, sell, transfer, equip, use, or
 7 operate a robotic device or an uncrewed aircraft equipped or mounted
 8 with a weapon within the state.
 9 3. It shall be unlawful for any person, whether or not acting under
 10 color of law, to use a robotic device or uncrewed aircraft to:
 11 (a) commit the crime of menacing defined in section 120.15 of the
 12 penal law, or
 13 (b) criminally harass another person in violation of section 240.25,
 14 240.26, 240.30, 240.31, or 240.32 of the penal law.
 15 4. It shall be unlawful for any person, whether or not acting under
 16 color of law, to use a robotic device or uncrewed aircraft to physically
 17 restrain or to attempt to physically restrain a human being within the
 18 state.
 19 5. Any person who knowingly violates the provisions of subdivision
 20 two, three or four of this section shall be liable for a civil penalty
 21 of not less than twenty-five thousand nor more than one hundred thousand
 22 dollars. Such fine shall be imposed in additio