This bill proposes a total appropriation of $3.75 million from the state general fund to various state departments for the purpose of providing grants related to uncrewed aircraft systems, autonomous vehicles, and other autonomous technologies. Specifically, the agriculture commissioner, attorney general, department of transportation, department of health and human services, and department of career and technical education will each receive $750,000 in one-time funding for the biennium from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2027. Each department is tasked with developing grant application processes, eligibility criteria, and guidelines, which may include matching fund requirements where applicants must provide one dollar of matching funds for every four dollars awarded by the state.

Additionally, the bill mandates that each department report to the legislative management during the 2025-26 interim on the grants awarded, including details on recipients and the use of funds. Furthermore, the legislative management is instructed to conduct a study on the economic impacts and benefits of investing in autonomous technology infrastructure, analyzing sectors that utilize or could benefit from such technologies, and quantifying the return on investment from the appropriated funds. The findings and any necessary legislative recommendations from this study are to be reported to the seventieth legislative assembly.