Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah is on tap to become the first state in the country to criminalize the use of drones to harass livestock.
HB217, sponsored by Rep. Scott Chew, R-Jensen, passed unanimously in the House on Monday. The bill would make it a class B misdemeanor if a person knowingly uses an all-terrain vehicle, dog or drone to harass or harm livestock.
If the animal is seriously injured or killed and the person has committed the offense before, the crime would be bumped up to a class A misdemeanor, which carries a potential one-year stay in jail and a $2,500 fine.
Chew, a rancher from Uintah County, said the bill is the first of its kind in the country and has been written about in numerous media outlets, including newspapers in Minnesota, South Dakota and Washington.
The lawmaker said he decided to run the measure in response to riders using ATVs to harass livestock just to be "obnoxious."
Chasing or disturbing livestock, he added, can have especially traumatic results on pregnant cows or sheep, as well as the very young animals.
The bill now moves to the Utah Senate.
