Calif. governor vetoes bill limiting surveillance drones

SACRAMENTO, Sept. 29 (UPI) -- California Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed a bill requiring search warrants for law enforcement drone use, saying it put too many restrictions on police.

In his veto message, Brown said Sunday that the bill exceeds the protection against unreasonable search and seizure in the U.S. and California constitutions. The bill would have required police to obtain warrants from judges to use drones except in environmental emergencies.

Assemblyman Jeff Gorell, the Republican who wrote the bill, said he fears lawmakers will now impose a complete moratorium on drone use by government agencies. Three states, including Virginia, have done so.

"We're increasingly living in a surveillance society as the government uses new technology to track and watch the activities of Americans," Gorell said. "It's disappointing that the governor decided to side with law enforcement in this case over the privacy interests of California."