Ohio Public Safety Grants

Exactly What HB 251 Restricts in 2030

Under section 5501.84, a public entity, including the state, political subdivisions and state colleges, may not purchase or otherwise acquire a UAS manufactured or assembled by a foreign adversary beginning October 6, 2030. The section prohibits use of state funds in connection with affected systems purchased on or after that date, including funds through grants, contracts or cooperative agreements. It also bars public-entity operation of those newly purchased systems.

The act contains an exception where federal law or regulation allows continued purchase and operation and directs the Secretary of State to maintain a registry informed by specified federal lists. Evaluate the actual system and current registry; the act does not impose the proposed May 2027 legacy-fleet grounding date.

Law Enforcement Flights After October 6, 2026

HB 251 requires a warrant for UAS entry into or observation of the interior of a house or place when a physical-entry search would require one. The text lists exceptions such as exigent circumstances, catastrophe assessment, traffic and accident work, crime-scene recording, nonintrusive observation of what is visible to the naked eye from navigable airspace, and certain event-threat assessments.

The act bars law enforcement UAS armed with lethal weapons, requires accurate flight data for every surveillance flight, retains data relevant to proceedings, and generally treats required flight and surveillance data as public records unless exempt. Prepare written mission, logging and records procedures before these provisions take effect. Check FAA public-safety operating authority separately.

Ohio Cybersecurity by Agency Type

ORC 9.64 requires political subdivisions to adopt a cybersecurity program with training, response and recovery procedures. Following a covered incident, the legislative authority must notify Ohio Homeland Security as soon as possible and within seven days, and the Auditor of State within thirty days. A cloud vendor or drone data service can be part of the incident and supply-chain review.

ORC 125.183 separately bars covered foreign-adversary applications on state-agency equipment and networks, subject to a mitigated law-enforcement/security exception. Its defined state-agency scope should not be presented as an automatic ban on every local department’s controller. Inventory app and network connections and apply local policies and grant conditions as well.

Federal Funding, Blue UAS and the FCC

ASDA / OMB M-26-02 Appendix D: Since December 22, 2025 federal award funds generally cannot procure or be used in connection with operating a FASC-prohibited UAS, subject to stated exemptions and waivers. BJA: UAS purchases need express prior approval and a certification tied to the DCMA Blue UAS Cleared List, with restrictions on modifications, accessories and federal information plus privacy/cyber assurances.

FCC Covered List and equipment-authorization rules are a separate model/component inquiry; previously authorized models are not thereby subject to a universal flight ban. NDAA Section 889 addresses specified telecommunications/video-surveillance equipment, while TAA depends on the particular contract clause. Read the current federal procurement explainer.

From Grant Budget to Security Design

Describe the public-safety mission, aircraft and payload, operator qualification, source of funds, manufacturer/assembly evidence, ground station, mobile app, firmware, cloud and evidence flow. Ask whether the exact solicitation allows aircraft, subscriptions, storage, training and replacement parts. For federally funded UAS, obtain award-specific written approval and keep it with the purchase file.

A Blue UAS listing is valuable only in the context required by the award and configuration; no single “NDAA compliant” label resolves Ohio law, federal award terms, FCC authorization, privacy rules and agency cybersecurity.

Practical Ohio UAS Procurement Checklist

1. 1Identify the buyer and funds. Map local, state, federal pass-through and direct federal dollars for both acquisition and operation; write down the applicable award and procurement clauses.
2. 2Check the Ohio timeline. HB 251 surveillance provisions take effect October 6, 2026. Section 5501.84 procurement and operation restrictions begin October 6, 2030 and address systems purchased on or after that date.
3. 3Confirm country-of-origin facts. Document manufacturer and assembly location of aircraft and system, supplier representations and any applicable Secretary of State registry or federal list. Do not infer status from a brand name alone.
4. 4Screen federal UAS restrictions. For federal award funds, review ASDA / OMB M-26-02 Appendix D FASC status and any applicable exemption or waiver, as well as agency-specific terms.
5. 5Obtain BJA prior approval when applicable. For BJA awards, submit the UAS certification tied to the DCMA Blue UAS Cleared List and the required privacy, civil-liberties and cyber assurances before spending.
6. 6Assess the whole system. Inventory aircraft, payload, controller, radio, app, firmware, data store, cloud location, remote access and updates. Apply Ohio Revised Code 125.183 to state agency devices/networks where relevant.
7. 7Write the flight and incident policies. Plan warrant analysis, exceptions, surveillance flight logs, evidence retention, public records, FAA authority and the political subdivision cybersecurity program and incident reporting under section 9.64.
8. 8Keep a defensible purchase file. Retain solicitation, funding source, approval letters, product records, cybersecurity assessment, training, data-handling design and policy sign-off.