Missouri House Adds 47 Amendments to Drone Restrictions Bill in Marathon Debate
Missouri House members attached 47 amendments to a drone restrictions bill during a marathon debate, transforming six pages of infrastructure protection into sweeping public safety legislation.
JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI — A bill to ban low-flying drones over critical infrastructure expanded into broader public safety legislation Tuesday after Missouri House members attached 47 amendments during a three-and-a-half-hour debate session.
The legislation, originally sponsored by Republican state Sen. Nick Schroer of Defiance, began as a six-page bill focused on expanding drone restrictions. By the time lawmakers prepared to vote, the measure had transformed into a comprehensive package covering everything from domestic violence registries to expanded DNA testing protocols and pay policy changes for the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.
The House approved the amended legislation by a vote of 83 to 61, according to the Missouri Independent.
Original Bill Targets Critical Infrastructure
Schroer’s underlying bill would expand Missouri’s existing law that currently prohibits drone operations over open-air stadiums and concert venues. The proposed changes would reduce the minimum facility size where restrictions apply from 5,000 to 500 occupants and add “critical infrastructure” such as power plants and pipelines to the protected areas.
The current state law already makes it a crime to operate drones over certain venues, but the expanded version would significantly broaden the scope of prohibited areas and activities.
Lawmakers Question Amendment Process
As the amendment process continued throughout the day, some House members raised concerns about the thoroughness of review for the additional legislation being attached to the drone bill.
“If I were a betting man, I would be very curious about the amount of pages that this new bill would be,” said Democratic state Rep. Marty Joe Murray of St. Louis.
Democratic state Rep. LaKeySha Bosley of St. Louis expressed particular concern about bills that had not received proper committee review. “There are a few bills on here that have never been vetted, that didn’t go through the committees, that didn’t have any conversations,” Bosley said. “The first time we had a conversation was on this floor, and only maybe one or two people even dove into the practicality of the bills.”
Wide-Ranging Amendments Added
The 47 amendments covered diverse public safety topics beyond the original drone restrictions. Among the additions were provisions for creating a domestic violence registry system, expanding DNA testing procedures following arrests, and modifying compensation policies for officers in the state-controlled St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.
The amendment process stretched the legislative session as House members debated each addition, with some questioning whether the rapid-fire approach provided adequate scrutiny for complex policy changes. The final version of the bill represents a significant expansion from the original six-page proposal focused solely on drone operations.
The legislation now moves forward in the Missouri legislative process, carrying both the original infrastructure protection measures and the dozens of public safety provisions added during Tuesday’s extended House session.
