Senate Bill No. 231, identified as File No. 138, proposes the establishment of a grant program administered by the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection. This program is designed to provide grants to law enforcement units and municipal and volunteer fire departments for the acquisition of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones. The bill requires the department to develop eligibility criteria, application forms, and deadlines by October 1, 2024, and to post this information on its website. Additionally, the department is mandated to submit an annual report to the General Assembly's Public Safety and Security Committee, starting January 1, 2026, detailing the number of applications received, the number of grants awarded, and the recipients of the grants.

The fiscal impact statement attached to the bill indicates potential costs to the state of at least $122,173 for the fiscal years 2025 and 2026, assuming funding is made available for the grant program. The costs include the potential hiring of an emergency management program specialist and associated fringe benefits. The cost of UAVs varies significantly, and there are over 400 eligible organizations in the state that could receive grants under this program. The bill does not allocate funds from any source, and it is assumed that if the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection receives state funding, it would be through a general fund appropriation or bond authorization. The ongoing fiscal impact would continue into the future, subject to the availability of funds for the grant program.