West Virginia 2023 Regular Session Status: Enacted 7 R cosponsors

HB 3479 — Creating requirements for use of unmanned aerial vehicles

Last action — Chapter 105, Acts, Regular Session, 2023

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed House of Delegates
  4. ✓
    Passed Senate
  5. ✓
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced February 14, 2023. Enacted.

Odds of enactment

High chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a high chance of becoming law.

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A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 82% · moderate confidence

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 11 sponsors

    1 primary, 10 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (7 R).

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 1 recorded vote so far.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

1 added · 1 removed

Plain-language change summary

The recent amendment to House Bill 3479 involved changing the title to more clearly reflect the bill's focus on unmanned aerial vehicles, including definitions and compliance with federal laws. This update also introduced new criminal offenses for misconduct involving drones, while clarifying exemptions for law enforcement and landowners using drones on their property. These changes are important because they aim to enhance regulations around drone use, ensuring public safety while allowing certain beneficial applications.

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Latest
HB3479 HFA Ridenour 2-22 #1Casto 3264 Delegate Ridenour moved to amend the bill on page 1, in the title, line 4, immediately following the word “unmanned” by striking “aircraft system” and inserting in lieu thereof “aerial vehicle “ANDon page1, in the Article header, immediately following the word “unmanned” by striking “aircraft system” and inserting in lieu thereof “aerial vehicle”ANDon page 1, section 1, line 3, immediately following the word “unmanned” by striking “aircraft vehicles or systems” and inserting in lieu thereof “aerial vehicles”ANDon page 1, section 1, line 6, immediately following the word “unmanned” by striking “aircraft system or system” and inserting in lieu thereof “aerial vehicles”ANDon page 1, section 1, line 11, immediately following the word “unmanned” by striking “aircraft system” and inserting in lieu thereof “aerial vehicle”ANDon page 1, section 1, line 12, immediately following the word “unmanned” by striking “aircraft system” and inserting in lieu thereof “aerial vehicle”ANDon page 1, section 2, in the section heading, immediately following the word “unmanned” by striking “aircraft system” and inserting in lieu thereof “aerial vehicle”ANDon page 1, section 2, line 2, immediately following the word “unmanned” by striking “aircraft system” and inserting in lieu thereof “aerial vehicle”ANDon page 2, section 2, line 14, immediately following the word “unmanned” by striking “aircraft system” and inserting in lieu thereof “aerial vehicle”ANDon page 2, section 2, line 16, immediately following the word “unmanned” by striking “aircraft system” and inserting in lieu thereof “aerial vehicle”ANDon page 2, section 2, line 24, immediately following the word “unmanned” by striking “aircraft system” and inserting in lieu thereof “aerial vehicle”ANDon page 2, section 2, line 29, immediately following the word “unmanned” by striking “aircraft system” and inserting in lieu thereof “aerial vehicle”ANDon page 2, section 2, line 32, immediately following the word “unmanned” by striking “aircraft system” and inserting in lieu thereof “aerial vehicle”AND on page 3, section 2, line 42, immediately following the word “unmanned” by striking “aircraft system” and inserting in lieu thereof “aerial vehicle”ANDon page 2, section 2, line 43, immediately following the word “unmanned” by striking “aircraft system” and inserting in lieu thereof “aerial vehicle”ANDon page 2, section 2, line 47, immediately following the word “unmanned” by striking “aircraft system” and inserting in lieu thereof “aerial vehicle”ANDon page 2, section 2, line 52, immediately following the first occurrence of the word “unmanned” by striking “aircraft systems” and inserting in lieu thereof “aerial vehicles”ANDon page 2, section 2, line 52, immediately following the second occurrence of the word “unmanned” by striking “aircraft system” and inserting in lieu thereof “aerial vehicle”ANDon page 2, section 2, line 53, immediately following the word “unmanned” by striking “aircraft system” and inserting in lieu thereof “aerial vehicle”      AdoptedRejected
HB3479 HFAT Capito 2-25Casto 3264 Delegate Capito moved to amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting therefor a new title, to read as follows:Eng.
House Bill No.
3479 -- H.
B.
3479 -- “A Bill to amend and reenact §61-16-1 and §61-16-2 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, all relating to unmanned aerial vehicles;
adding definitions;
requiring compliance with all federal laws and regulations relating to such vehicles;
and creating criminal offenses and penalties for certain conduct using an unmanned aerial vehicle”  AdoptedRejected 
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Action History

  1. Chapter 105, Acts, Regular Session, 2023

  2. Approved by Governor 3/29/2023

  3. To Governor 3/20/2023

  4. Approved by Governor 3/29/2023 - Senate Journal

  5. Approved by Governor 3/29/2023 - House Journal

  6. To Governor 3/20/2023 - Senate Journal

  7. To Governor 3/20/2023 - House Journal

  8. House Message received

  9. Completed legislative action

  10. Communicated to Senate

  11. House concurred in Senate amendment and passed bill (Roll No. 589)

  12. House received Senate message

  13. Senate requests House to concur

  14. Passed Senate with amended title (Roll No. 439)

  15. Read 3rd time

  16. On 3rd reading

  17. Committee amendment adopted (Voice vote)

  18. Read 2nd time

  19. On 2nd reading

  20. Read 1st time

  21. On 1st reading

  22. Reported do pass, with amendment and title amendment

  23. To Judiciary

  24. To Judiciary

  25. Introduced in Senate

  26. Communicated to Senate

  27. Title amendment adopted (Voice vote)

  28. Passed House (Roll No. 277)

  29. Read 3rd time

  30. On 3rd reading, Special Calendar

  31. Amendment adopted (Voice vote)

  32. Read 2nd time

  33. On 2nd reading, Special Calendar

  34. Read 1st time

  35. From Housel Calendar, 1st reading, placed on Special Calendar

  36. On 1st reading, House Calendar

  37. Placed on House Calendar

  38. On 1st reading, Special Calendar

  39. By substitute, do pass

  40. To House Judiciary

  41. Introduced in House

  42. To Judiciary

  43. Filed for introduction

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 10 co-sponsors · 141 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (10)

Not signed on (141)

141 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 141 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Passage

Passed 32 Yea · 0 Nay · 2 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 16000
Unaffiliated 15002
Democrat 1000
Total 32002
% of votes cast 94%0%0%6%
How each member voted (34)
Member Party Vote
MARONEY — Yea
STOVER — Yea
MARTIN — Yea
STUART — Yea
BOLEY — Yea
SWOPE — Yea
CAPUTO — Yea
NELSON — Yea
PHILLIPS — Not Voting
PLYMALE — Yea
TRUMP — Yea
HAMILTON — Yea
HUNT — Yea
JEFFRIES — Not Voting
SMITH — Yea
MR PRESIDENT — Yea
KARNES — Yea
Mike Woelfel Democrat Yea
Amy Grady Republican Yea
Ben Queen Republican Yea
Charles H. Clements Republican Yea
Eric Tarr Republican Yea
Jack Woodrum Republican Yea
Jason Barrett Republican Yea
Jay Taylor Republican Yea
Laura Wakim Chapman Republican Yea
Mark R. Maynard Republican Yea
Mike Azinger Republican Yea
Mike Oliverio Republican Yea
Patricia Rucker Republican Yea
Rollan A. Roberts Republican Yea
Ryan Weld Republican Yea
Tom Takubo Republican Yea
Vince Deeds Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

public-safety technology
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors HB 3479?
HB 3479 is sponsored by Bob Fehrenbacher (Republican), Espinosa, Phil Mallow (Republican), DeVault, Clay Riley (Republican), Fast, Rick Hillenbrand (Republican), Westfall, William Anderson (Republican), Mark Zatezalo (Republican), and Stanley Adkins (Republican).
What is the current status of HB 3479?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced February 14, 2023. Enacted.
Where can I track HB 3479?
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Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously

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