Repeal Section 56.31 Los Angeles Municipal Code / Dangerous Uses of Drones / Protect Citys Infrastructure / Federal Aviation Administration Guidelines and Regulations
Council File 26-1119
Under review — the city is drafting a new drone ordinance to replace one blocked by federal law, giving police enforceable tools to stop dangerous flights near critical infrastructure and major events while staying within FAA limits. It's cleared committee and heads to full Council.
This is the City Clerk's status for the council file itself, not the outcome of the measure. A file often stays open after the Council has already adopted an item. The summary above reflects the latest recorded action.
Brief
Councilmember John S. Lee, seconded by Curren D. Price Jr., introduced a motion to repeal Section 56.31 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code, which governs dangerous uses of drones. The motion directs the city to align its drone oversight with Federal Aviation Administration guidelines and regulations rather than maintain independent municipal rules. The Public Safety Committee approved the item on September 15, 2026. The motion remains pending in committee.
Full summary
Councilmember John S. Lee introduced this motion in response to a legal problem with the city's existing drone ordinance: the City Attorney has determined that LAMC Section 56.31 is likely preempted by federal law, and LAPD has already suspended enforcement to avoid a constitutional challenge. As a result, the city currently has no enforceable municipal framework to address reckless or unauthorized drone flights near sensitive infrastructure, during major public events, or in situations that could interfere with emergency response. With Los Angeles preparing to host major international events, Lee argues that closing this enforcement gap is urgent. The motion directs the City Attorney, working with LAPD, the Los Angeles Fire Department, the Department of Water and Power, the Emergency Management Department, and the Port of Los Angeles, to draft a replacement ordinance. That ordinance would repeal the unenforceable sections of LAMC 56.31 and replace them with provisions that pass federal legal muster. Crucially, the FAA's own guidance permits local regulation in two specific areas: discouraging dangerous drone uses and regulating where drones may take off and land. The new ordinance would be built around those permissible grounds, giving LAPD enforceable tools to respond to dangerous drone activity and protect critical city infrastructure without conflicting with federal aviation law. The motion was referred to the Public Safety Committee on August 12, 2026, and the committee approved it on September 15, 2026. The file now awaits full City Council consideration. With an expiration date of September 2028, it remains active. The key distinction from the previous summary is that this is not a wholesale deferral to federal authority: the motion explicitly seeks a new, legally defensible local ordinance rather than simply abandoning municipal drone regulation altogether.
Activity (2)
- 2026-09-15 Public Safety Committee approved item(s) .
- 2026-08-12 Motion referred to Public Safety Committee.
Documents (2)
- 2026-09-15 Speaker Card(s) · speaker_card
- 2026-08-12 Motion · motion