Rep. Bartels: Legislation boosting public safety against unmanned aircraft systems ceremonially signed into law

Gov. Mike Braun on Tuesday ceremonially signed into law legislation sponsored by State Rep. Stephen Bartels (R-Eckerty) to boost public safety by establishing the Indiana State Police (ISP) as the statewide coordinating agency for counter-unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).

With drones exploding in popularity and availability in recent years, security risks associated with misuse and illegal use of the technology are also on the rise, including unauthorized surveillance, smuggling and disruption of critical infrastructure.

Senate Enrolled Act 227 directly tackles this issue by establishing a unified, federally compliant framework that enables ISP to better detect, respond to, and neutralize unauthorized or threatening drones, replacing fragmented local approaches with coordinated statewide action. Bartels said this will allow ISP to better and more effectively respond to drone threats as they happen.

"SEA 227 gives law enforcement the tools they need to stay ahead of emerging threats," Bartels said. "This legislation strengthens security for our communities, protects critical infrastructure and ensures the state police can act quickly and effectively to drone threats."

The new law also allows ISP to certify trained local agencies and establish Indianapolis as a pilot location, strengthening readiness in high-risk areas while responsibly expanding capacity through federally qualified partners. Bartels said the law also ensures federal compliance by only going into effect upon federal authorization and after the governor publishes a notice in the Indiana Register describing the authorization and identifying the specific federal statute or program.

For more information on Senate Enrolled Act 227, visit iga.in.gov.