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SB2569

Regular Session

Relating to the reporting requirement for certain law enforcement agencies regarding the agencies' use or operation of an unmanned aircraft.

Low
Low Cost
Effective:2025-09-01
Enforcing Agencies

County Law Enforcement Agencies (in counties with population > 150,000) • Municipal Law Enforcement Agencies (in municipalities with population > 150,000) • State Law Enforcement Agencies

SB2569
Low
Relating to the reporting requirement for certain law enforcement agencies regarding the agencies' use or operation of an unmanned aircraft.
Low Compliance Urgency
Requires routine attention
Cost Impact
Low
Effective
2025-09-01
Enforcing Agencies
County Law Enforcement AgenciesMunicipal Law Enforcement AgenciesState Law Enforcement Agencies
Primary Author: Sen. Peter Flores
89th Texas Legislature
jdkey.com
01

Compliance Analysis

Key implementation requirements and action items for compliance with this legislation

Implementation Timeline

  • Effective Date: September 1, 2025
  • Compliance Deadline: January 15, 2027 (This is the deadline for the first biennial report filed under the new statute; however, data collection for this report covers the preceding 24 months starting January 2025).
  • Agency Rulemaking: No specific rulemaking is mandated. The statute is self-executing. However, agencies must internally define "publicly accessible" standards if they lack a dedicated website.

Immediate Action Plan

  • Immediate: Notify your drone program coordinators and legal team that the filing recipient has changed from the State Capital to the Public Website.
  • Q3 2025: Audit current drone usage data collection methods to ensure the output is compatible with web publishing standards.
  • Q4 2026: Schedule a "Go/No-Go" review of the biennial report data for privacy compliance prior to the January 2027 posting window.
  • Ongoing: Verify if your jurisdiction's population has crossed the 150,000 threshold; if so, compliance becomes mandatory immediately.

Operational Changes Required

Contracts

  • Vendor Reporting Obligations: Review Master Service Agreements (MSAs) with drone software providers and private operators. Scope of Work (SOW) clauses requiring "Legislative Reporting Packets" must be amended to require "Web-Ready Public Disclosures" (e.g., ADA-compliant PDFs or HTML data).
  • Indemnification: Ensure contracts with private drone operators explicitly require them to deliver usage data to the LEA by December 31 of even-numbered years to ensure the LEA meets the January 1–15 statutory posting window.

Hiring/Training

  • IT Coordination: The Drone Program Coordinator must establish a direct workflow with the agency’s Webmaster or IT Director. Posting protocols must be established to ensure the report is uploaded between January 1 and January 15 of odd-numbered years.
  • Privacy Review: Staff responsible for compiling reports must be trained on redaction. Because reports are now direct-to-public, inadvertent disclosure of sensitive surveillance details carries higher immediate reputational and legal risk.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

  • Format Shift: Cease preparation of physical or digital transmission packages for the Governor and Legislature effective September 1, 2025.
  • Data Retention: Maintain flight logs, usage classifications, and operational hour records for a rolling 24-month period. The report posted in January 2027 must accurately reflect operations from January 2025 through December 2026.

Fees & Costs

  • Budget Impact: Negligible. Costs are limited to administrative time for data compilation and web management. No filing fees are associated with this change.

Strategic Ambiguities & Considerations

  • "Otherwise Make Available": The statute allows agencies without a website to "otherwise make the report available to the public." This is legally vague. Relying on physical bulletin boards or hard-copy files upon request invites litigation regarding accessibility. If your agency lacks a website, utilize a verified social media channel or third-party hosting to create a defensible digital footprint.
  • Data Granularity: The bill changes the *destination* of the report, not the *content* required by Section 423.008. However, the shift to public posting creates a gray zone regarding how much operational detail (e.g., specific flight paths) should be revealed versus summarized to protect ongoing investigations while satisfying transparency mandates.

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Information presented is for general knowledge only and is provided without warranty, express or implied. Consult qualified government affairs professionals and legal counsel before making compliance decisions.

02

Legislative Timeline

This bill's path through the Texas Legislature

Filed
Mar 13, 2025
Passed Senate
Apr 16, 2025
Passed House
May 23, 2025
Signed
Jun 20, 2025
TopicsCriminal ProcedureCriminal Procedure--generalElectronic Information SystemsTransportationTransportation--aviationAeronauticsLaw EnforcementPublic Notice
03

Senate Authors

Sen. Peter FloresRepublican · Primary Author

House Sponsor

Rep. John LujanRepublican · Primary Sponsor

Bill Text(with markup)

View bill text in multiple formats on Texas Legislature website

Fiscal NoteView Original

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More from Sen. Peter Flores

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Quick Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about SB2569

Q

What does Texas SB2569 do?

SB2569 fundamentally alters the compliance workflow for drone reporting by State, County, and Municipal law enforcement agencies (in jurisdictions >150,000 population), shifting the requirement from a legislative filing to a mandatory public website posting. This change eliminates the administrative burden of filing with the Governor and Legislature but increases liability exposure by making drone usage data immediately accessible to the general public and potential litigants. Implementation Timeline Effective Date: September 1, 2025 Compliance Deadline: January 15, 2027 (This is the deadline for the first biennial report filed under the new statute; however, data collection for this report covers the preceding 24 months starting January 2025).

Q

Who authored SB2569?

SB2569 was authored by Texas Senator Peter Flores during the Regular Session.

Q

When was SB2569 signed into law?

SB2569 was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on June 20, 2025.

Q

Which agencies enforce SB2569?

SB2569 is enforced by County Law Enforcement Agencies (in counties with population > 150,000), Municipal Law Enforcement Agencies (in municipalities with population > 150,000) and State Law Enforcement Agencies.

Q

How urgent is compliance with SB2569?

The compliance urgency for SB2569 is rated as "low". Businesses and organizations should review the requirements and timeline to ensure timely compliance.

Q

What is the cost impact of SB2569?

The cost impact of SB2569 is estimated as "low". This may vary based on industry and implementation requirements.

Q

What topics does SB2569 address?

SB2569 addresses topics including criminal procedure, criminal procedure--general, electronic information systems, transportation and transportation--aviation.

Legislative data provided by LegiScanLast updated: November 25, 2025

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