Oklahoma Public Safety Grants

HB 3068 Was Introduced, Not Enacted

The 2024 proposal would have prohibited certain small UAS purchases involving covered foreign entities and would have stopped public-entity operation of affected aircraft after May 1, 2027, with proposed OMES exceptions. Its legislative history shows introduction and referral to the Government Modernization and Technology Committee, with no reported vote or enacted version.

Do not build a replacement budget around a supposed statutory grounding deadline or promise an HB 3068 waiver. Assess the actual model, supplier, data connections, funding and agency policy. The 2026 bill numbered HB 3068 is a different measure.

What Enacted SB 1531 Actually Does

SB 1531, approved May 21, 2026 and effective November 1, 2026, develops the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics clearinghouse role for UAS and advanced air mobility. The law addresses coordination of state programs, grants, test sites and detection partnerships. It also requires a registry of UAS held by state agencies, except university-affiliated research systems.

This is a state-agency aircraft inventory, not a list of forbidden foreign manufacturers. Local departments should watch any implementing guidance and apply their own procurement duties.

OMES Technology and Data Review

OMES’s Prohibited Technology Standard addresses technology on state-owned devices, state networks and state data. It includes listed products/categories and incorporates federal restriction references. Because the list and its application can change, obtain a current OMES determination for a state-agency aircraft, controller, app or cloud service; do not assume an introduced bill defines the state’s current banned-drone list. A city or county should separately follow its own IT policy and any conditions of state network access.

Inventory the camera, radio, app, firmware, vendor remote support, data hosting and incident response. Where a vendor handles state or citizen information, the state’s IT procurement/security review may require a vendor security questionnaire and CISO evaluation. Ask OMES or the buying agency to document the applicable process.

Federal Grant Dollars and BJA Approval

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 the memorandum’s exemptions and waivers. Check the current FASC determination and award terms; a generic “NDAA compliant” label is insufficient.

BJA: A UAS purchase requires express prior approval, a certification tied to the DCMA Blue UAS Cleared List and the Commerce Consolidated Screening List, privacy/civil-liberties and cybersecurity assurances, and compliance with restrictions on modifications, accessories and federal information. NDAA Section 889 surveillance/telecommunications, TAA contract clauses and FCC equipment authorization are separate inquiries. Read the full federal procurement explainer.

Oklahoma Flights Near Critical Infrastructure

3 O.S. § 322 restricts intentional or knowing UAS operations below 400 feet above covered critical infrastructure, contact with a facility and certain intentional interference, subject to statutory conditions and exceptions. The exceptions address, among others, government and law-enforcement activity, authorized contractors, owner consent and qualifying FAA-authorized purposes. The statute is not a blanket ban on police or fire response; confirm the exact site, authorization and mission before flight.

Use FAA guidance for public-safety operators for Part 107 or public aircraft authority, airspace approvals and emergency processes. Establish privacy, records, evidence and retention procedures for imagery and telemetry.

Practical Oklahoma UAS Procurement Checklist

1. 1Identify the applicant and dollars. Distinguish local funds, state funds, a federal pass-through award and a direct federal award; read the specific notice before proposing equipment.
2. 2Get a written cost determination. DAC JAG-LLE excludes aircraft; the 9-1-1 grant funds PSAP projects. Other grants require the administrator to approve the exact UAS, accessories, training and operating costs.
3. 3Screen federal award restrictions. For federal dollars, review ASDA / OMB M-26-02 Appendix D for FASC-prohibited UAS and any valid exemption or waiver.
4. 4Obtain BJA’s express prior approval if relevant. BJA requires its Blue UAS Cleared List-based certification, privacy and cyber assurances, and restrictions on accessories, modifications and federal information.
5. 5Confirm the state IT scope. For state-owned devices, networks and data, ask OMES about its Prohibited Technology Standard and vendor security review; local departments must apply their own policies and connection conditions.
6. 6Inventory the entire system. Record aircraft, country of manufacture/assembly, payload, camera, radio, controller, app, firmware, cloud hosting, data flows and vendor remote access; test Section 889 and FCC questions separately.
7. 7Authorize the flight and evidence workflow. Check FAA public-safety authority, Oklahoma critical-infrastructure location exceptions, mission approvals, privacy, records retention and chain of custody.
8. 8Keep the decision file. Preserve official grant guidance, product configuration, country-of-origin evidence, written approvals, cybersecurity assessment, contract terms and any exemption or waiver.