(1) A person who knowingly points, focuses, or aims the beam of a laser device at an aircraft in flight or on the ground while occupied, and the incident is reported by the pilot or a crew member of the impacted aircraft to a law enforcement officer or law enforcement agency, commits the offense of unlawfully aiming a laser device at an aircraft, which is a class 6 felony.
(2) The offense described in subsection (1) of this section does not apply if
the person:
(a) Is an authorized individual conducting research and development or flight
test operations for an aircraft manufacturer or the federal aviation administration,
or any other person authorized by the federal aviation administration to conduct
research and development or flight test operations;
(b) Is a member of the United States department of defense or the United
States department of homeland security acting in an official capacity for the
purpose of research, development, operations, testing, or training; or
(c) Uses a laser device with the intent of sending an emergency distress
signal.
(3) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) Aircraft means a device manned by a person that is used or intended to
be used for flight in the air.
(b) Laser device means any device designed or used to amplify
electromagnetic radiation by stimulated emission that emits a beam in the
ultraviolet, visible, or infrared region of the spectrum.
L. 2023: Entire section added, (SB 23-095), ch. 29, p. 99, § 1, effective July 1.
