HB 3662
no drones over schools, unless you’re under 14
Did not pass
Verdict: No flags
Initial review · graded Oct 22, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade
Caption
relating to the operation of an unmanned aircraft over a primary or secondary school instructional facility; creating a criminal offense.
Caption from analyzed text · version H.
Summary
Class C misdemeanor. Police and commercial operators are exempt too.
The bill makes it a Class C misdemeanor to knowingly fly a drone over a building or property used mainly to teach public or private primary or secondary school students. It touches hobby drone pilots and teenagers, and it exempts government agencies, police, their contractors, commercial operators following FAA rules, anyone with written permission from the principal, vice principal or campus officer, and children under 14. A principal, vice principal or campus officer can take a drone to hand to local police as evidence, a judge can dismiss a charge against an unintentional offender under 17 after a warning and a drone-safety class, and repeat offenders face a Class B misdemeanor starting September 1, 2025.
Labels
Labels: CREATES AN OFFENSE. The caption of the graded version (House committee report) reads: “relating to the operation of an unmanned aircraft over a primary or secondary school instructional facility; creating a criminal offense.”STALLED AFTER COMMITTEE. Voted out of the House Public Education committee 11-0 on Apr 30, 2025. Placed on the General State Calendar on May 13, 2025. The bill died.
Receipt
The receipt
89R-HB3662 · 2025-03-04
SOLD BY
ITEM
relating to the operation of an unmanned aircraft over a primary or secondary school instructional facility; creating a criminal offense.
WHAT IT DOES
Class C misdemeanor. Police and commercial operators are exempt too.
The bill makes it a Class C misdemeanor to knowingly fly a drone over a building or property used mainly to teach public or private primary or secondary school students. It touches hobby drone pilots and teenagers, and it exempts government agencies, police, their contractors, commercial operators following FAA rules, anyone with written permission from the principal, vice principal or campus officer, and children under 14. A principal, vice principal or campus officer can take a drone to hand to local police as evidence, a judge can dismiss a charge against an unintentional offender under 17 after a warning and a drone-safety class, and repeat offenders face a Class B misdemeanor starting September 1, 2025.
CHARGES
[ ] NONE FOUND
TOTAL
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
LBB estimate · fiscal note version H · source
Sources
Fiscal note · version H · May 1, 2025
No first-year general revenue figure available here.
LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.
Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.
HISTORY
- Filed
- Read first time
- Referred to Public Education
- Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
- Considered in public hearing
- Committee substitute considered in committee
- Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
- Left pending in committee
- Considered in formal meeting
- Committee substitute considered in committee
- Reported favorably as substituted
- Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
- Committee report distributed
- Committee report sent to Calendars
- Considered in Calendars
- Placed on General State Calendar
FILED UNDER
THE TEXT
…“the federal government, the state, a governmental entity, or a law enforcement agency;”
Bill text, House committee report version (H)
The ban on drone flights over schools does not reach government agencies, police or the contractors who fly on their behalf, so official drones can still fly over campuses.
THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
Donors
Not tied to this bill.
Sources
The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.
Derived itemized flow · Oct 31, 2024 to Oct 29, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Capital One Financial Corporation Associates Political Fund$5,000.00
Capital One Financial Corporation Associates Political Fund
$5,000.00
- Cash
- $5,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $5,000.00
Also funds 1 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Dec 14, 2024 to Jul 14, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.
Sources
Derived itemized flow · on Jul 14, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 101030508.
Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
Capital One Financial Corporation Associates Political Fund
$5,000.00
- Cash
- $5,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $5,000.00
Also funds 1 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Dec 14, 2024 to Jul 14, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.
Sources
Derived itemized flow · on Jul 14, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 101030508.
Votes
No floor vote loaded for this bill.
Witnesses8
- For
- 6
- Against
- 1
- On
- 1
Names
For
- Association of Texas Professional Educators (ATPE)1 registration
- Northwest ISD and the Texas Association of School Administrators1 registration
- Texas Classroom Teachers Association1 registration
- Texas Private Schools Association1 registration
- Texas PTA1 registration
- The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops1 registration
Against
- Self1 registration
On
- Tx Education Agency1 registration
Sources
8 parsed registrations across the loaded witness lists.
Derived stock of witness registrations. Repeated appearances count separately. Organizations and self-representation appear as printed.
House witness list. Source snapshot 2026-10-20, Central time.
Fiscal
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
LBB estimate · fiscal note version H · source
Sources
Fiscal note · version H · May 1, 2025
No first-year general revenue figure available here.
LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.
Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.
How this was graded
Analysis of text version H by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 22, 2026, against the published rubric.
Sources
Texas House · Filed Mar 4, 2025
05/13/2025 H Placed on General State Calendar
Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report
Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:19 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.
House committee · Public Education · Committee vote 11 aye, 0 nay, 4 absent · Out of committee
Subjects
Aeronautics
Crimes--Miscellaneous
Education--Primary & Secondary--Facilities
Electronic Information Systems
Transportation--Aviation
Text
The text as introduced · 458 words
89R11125 MEW-F By: Capriglione H.B. No. 3662 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the operation of an unmanned aircraft over a public school instructional facility; creating a criminal offense. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Chapter 423, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 423.0047 to read as follows: Sec. 423.0047. OFFENSE: OPERATION OF UNMANNED AIRCRAFT OVER PUBLIC SCHOOL INSTRUCTIONAL FACILITY. (a) In this section, "instructional facility" has the meaning assigned by Section 46.001, Education Code. (b) A person commits an offense if the person knowingly operates an unmanned aircraft over an instructional facility owned or leased by a school district or open-enrollment charter school. (c) This section does not apply to conduct described by Subsection (b) that is engaged in by: (1) the federal government, the state, a governmental entity, or a law enforcement agency; (2) a person under contract with or otherwise acting under the direction of or on behalf of the federal government, the state, a governmental entity, or a law enforcement agency; (3) an operator of an unmanned aircraft that is being used for a commercial purpose, if: (A) the operation is conducted in compliance with all applicable Federal Aviation Administration rules, restrictions, and exemptions; and (B) the operator obtains all required Federal Aviation Administration authorizations; (4) a person who has the prior written consent of the principal, the vice principal, or a school resource officer or peace officer assigned to the instructional facility; or (5) a person who is younger than 14 years of age. (d) If the principal, the vice principal, or a school resource officer or peace officer assigned to an instructional facility witnesses the operation of an unmanned aircraft over the instructional facility, the principal, vice principal, or officer may temporarily take possession of the unmanned aircraft for the purpose of providing the unmanned aircraft to a local law enforcement agency as evidence of an offense under Subsection (b). (e) A judge having jurisdiction of an offense under Subsection (b) may dismiss a charge for an offense described by that subsection if: (1) the defendant is younger than 17 years of age at the time of the offense; and (2) the judge finds that the defendant did not intentionally commit the offense. (f) Before dismissing a charge under Subsection (e), the judge shall issue to the defendant a warning and refer the defendant to an educational program on drone safety and aviation laws. (g) An offense under this section is a Class C misdemeanor, except that the offense is a Class B misdemeanor if the actor has previously been convicted under: (1) this section; (2) Section 423.0045; or (3) Section 423.0046. SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.