Home/Bills/AB 2043California · 2025–2026 Regular Session

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AB 2043: Countering Unmanned Aircraft Systems Task Force.

California · Assembly · 2025–2026 Regular Session · last verified June 23, 2026

What AB 2043 does, verified June 23, 2026

The bill aims to establish a statewide strategy to protect mass gatherings, critical infrastructure, and other soft targets from attacks by unmanned aircraft systems. It requires the Office of Emergency Services to lead the task force by January 1, 2027, and seek representatives from public and private entities to ensure a comprehensive approach. The task force will develop response plans specific to unmanned aircraft systems, integrating detection systems into existing emergency operation plans or incident command systems. These plans will help mitigate the effects of such attacks and aid in recovery efforts. The bill declares its urgency and takes effect immediately.

Bill journey

✓IntroducedComplete

✓In CommitteeComplete

✓First Chamber FloorComplete

4Second ChamberCurrent

5GovernorPending

6ChapteredPending

Last action: Referred to Coms. on PUB. S. and E.M. (2026-05-22)Alert me

Author and sponsors

Asm. Lisa CalderonAuthor · California State Assembly

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Coauthors

Bob ArchuletaSteve BennettMichelle RodriguezHenry Stern

Recent actions15 total · showing 5

May. 22, 2026	Referred to Coms. on PUB. S. and E.M.
May. 22, 2026	In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
May. 22, 2026	Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 74. Noes 0. Page 5261.).
May. 18, 2026	Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
May. 14, 2026	From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 14).

Full action history, 10 earlier actionsConnect Plus

Latest bill textAmended version, April 6, 2026 · 1,393 words

Amended IN Assembly April 06, 2026

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 2043

Introduced by Assembly Member Calderon
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Bennett and Michelle Rodriguez)
(Coauthors: Senators Archuleta and Stern)

February 17, 2026

An act to add Article 4.2 (commencing with Section 8577) to Chapter 7 of Division 1 of Title 2 of the Government Code, relating to state government, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 2043, as amended, Calderon. Countering Unmanned Aircraft Systems Task Force.

Existing law, the California Emergency Services Act, establishes the Office of Emergency Services within the office of the ~~Governor and charges it~~ Governor under the supervision of the Director of Emergency Services. The act charges the office with responsibility for the state’s emergency and disaster response services for natural, technological, or manmade disasters and emergencies. The act specifies that its provisions do not prevent the Governor or the office from formally recognizing committees or boards established by or with segments of the private sector, public agencies, or both, that control facilities, resources, or the provision of services essential to the mitigation of the effects of an emergency or recovery therefrom.

This bill would require the Office of Emergency Services, on or before January 1, 2027, to ~~establish, within its office,~~ establish and lead the Countering Unmanned Aircraft Systems Task Force to develop a statewide strategy to protect mass gatherings, critical infrastructure, and other soft targets from attacks by unmanned aircraft systems. The bill would require the ~~office~~ Director of Emergency Services to seek to compose a membership of the task force that includes representatives of specific public and private entities, ~~as specified,~~ including, among others, the State Threat Assessment Center. The bill would authorize the task force to achieve its specific purpose, primary objective, and goals by developing or updating response plans specific to unmanned aircraft systems that integrate detection systems into existing emergency operation plans or incident command systems, among other things.

This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Vote: 2/3 Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Article 4.2 (commencing with Section 8577) is added to Chapter 7 of Division 1 of Title 2 of the Government Code, to read:

Article 4.2. Countering Unmanned Aircraft Systems Task Force

8577.
On or before January 1, 2027, the Office of Emergency Services shall establish, within its office, the Countering Unmanned Aircraft Systems Task Force to develop a statewide strategy to protect mass gatherings, critical infrastructure, and other soft targets from attacks by unmanned aircraft systems.

~~8577.2.~~8577.

For purposes of this article, the following definitions shall apply:

(a) “Office” means the Office of Emergency Services.

(b) “Task force” means the Countering Unmanned Aircraft Systems Task Force established by this article.

(c) “Unmanned aircraft system” means the same as “unmanned aircraft system” pursuant to Section 44801(12) of Title 49 of the United States Code.

8577.4.
The office shall seek to compose a membership of the task force that includes representatives of its legal branch, the State Threat Assessment Center, the Department of the California Highway Patrol, the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), the California National Guard, and representatives of privacy advocates, sheriffs, local police departments, local fire departments, local emergency managers, Major League Baseball, the National Football League, the University of California, the California State University, investor-owned utilities, LA28, FIFA, and amusement park associations.

8577.2.
(a) On or before January 1, 2027, the office shall establish and lead the Countering Unmanned Aircraft Systems Task Force to develop a statewide strategy to protect mass gatherings, critical infrastructure, and other soft targets from attacks by unmanned aircraft systems.
(b) The Director of Emergency Services shall seek to compose a membership of the task force with one or more representatives of all the following:
(1) State Threat Assessment Center.
(2) Department of the California Highway Patrol.
(3) Military Department.
(4) California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE).
(5) California Utilities Emergency Association.
(6) California State Sheriffs’ Association.
(7) California Police Chiefs Association.
(8) California Fire Chiefs Association.
(9) LA28 Organizing Committee of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games (LA28).
(10) Any National Football League team based in California.
(11) Any Major League Baseball team based in California.
(12) Rank and file police officers.
(13) Firefighters employed by a public agency.
(14) Any organization devoted to the protection of personal privacy.
(c) The Director of Emergency Services, at their discretion, may appoint any other members to the task force.

~~8577.6.~~8577.4.

The purpose of the task force shall be to organize and enhance the state’s lawful capabilities to detect, identify, track, and monitor unmanned aircraft systems and to support local and tribal governments in combating the unlawful use of unmanned aircraft systems that pose a threat to the safety and security of individuals, communities, and critical infrastructure.

~~8577.8.~~8577.6.

The primary objective of the task force shall be to develop and implement a statewide strategy to deter and counter attacks by unmanned aircraft systems by ensuring public safety entities have the resources, training, and operational capacity to detect, track, identify, and mitigate unmanned aircraft system threats.

~~8577.10.~~8577.8.

The goals of the task force shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:

(a) Protect critical infrastructure, mass gatherings, and other soft targets from threats by unmanned aircraft ~~systems.~~ systems in coordination with federally established airspace restrictions and operational requirements.

(b) Support the deployment of fixed or portable systems for the detection, tracking, identification, and mitigation of unmanned aircraft systems consistent with applicable ~~laws.~~ federal laws, regulations, and restrictions.

(c) Ensure statewide readiness, in coordination with federal officials, to respond to emergencies or public safety threats associated with malicious use of unmanned aircraft systems.

~~8577.12.~~8577.10.

The task force may achieve its purpose, primary objective, and goals by doing any of the following:

(a) Developing or updating response plans specific to unmanned aircraft systems that integrate detection systems into existing emergency operation plans or incident command systems.

(b) Conducting risk assessments to identify high-priority ~~areas~~ areas, in alignment with federal prioritization framework, for the detection of unmanned aircraft systems, including critical infrastructure, public events, or disaster-prone areas.

(c) ~~Developing~~ Leveraging existing training methodologies to document standard operating procedures for responding to unauthorized or malicious activity by unmanned aircraft systems.

(d) Coordinating with federal agencies to ensure compliance with and provide feedback on federal laws and regulations governing the detection and mitigation of unmanned aircraft systems.

(e) Planning for the integration of detection systems for unmanned aircraft systems with existing public safety technologies, including geographic information system (GIS) platforms or computer-aided dispatch (CAD) systems.

(f) ~~Developing training for first responders~~ Ensuring first responders receive appropriate training on the operation of specific detection systems for unmanned aircraft systems.

(g) Developing train-the-trainer programs to build local capacity for ongoing training ~~efforts.~~ efforts, as appropriate in the context of federal training requirements.

(h) Providing scenario-based response training to prepare responders for real-world threats by unmanned aircraft systems, including swarming drones or unmanned aircraft systems equipped with payloads.

(i) Developing secure training for personnel on the interpretation of unmanned aircraft system detection data in the context of federal law and regulation and the integration of this data into decisionmaking ~~processes.~~ processes in alignment with federal training standards.

(j) Designing tabletop exercises to simulate unmanned aircraft system-related incidents and test response plans, standard operating procedures, and coordination protocols.

(k) Organizing functional exercises to test the operation of unmanned aircraft system detection systems and the integration of these systems with other public safety technologies.

(l) Running full-scale exercises to simulate large-scale unmanned aircraft system threats, including unauthorized activity at a public event or near critical infrastructure, and multijurisdictional exercises to test coordination between the state, local agencies, tribal governments, federal agencies, and private sector partners.

(m) Conducting after-action reviews to identify lessons learned and areas for improvement following exercises.

SEC. 2.

This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the California Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are:

To prepare for and mitigate the evolving threat to public safety from attacks by malicious use of unmanned aircraft systems, including attacks on critical infrastructure and mass gatherings, it is necessary for this act to take effect immediately.

Text of AB 2043 as amended, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions