[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3993 Placed on Calendar Senate (PCS)]







                                                       Calendar No. 657
109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3993

To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide penalties for aiming 
          laser pointers at airplanes, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 28, 2006

 Mr. Martinez introduced the following bill; which was read the first 
                                  time

           September 30 (legislative day, September 29), 2006

            Read the second time and placed on the calendar

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide penalties for aiming 
          laser pointers at airplanes, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Securing Aircraft Cockpits Against 
Lasers Act of 2006''.

SEC. 2. PROHIBITION AGAINST AIMING A LASER POINTER AT AN AIRCRAFT.

    (a) Offense.--Chapter 2 of title 18, United States Code, is amended 
by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 39B. Aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft
    ``(a) In General.--Whoever knowingly aims the beam of a laser 
pointer at an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the 
United States, or at the flight path of such an aircraft, shall be 
fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.
    ``(b) Definition.--In this section, the term `laser pointer' means 
any device designed or used to amplify electromagnetic radiation by 
stimulated emission that emits a beam designed to be used by the 
operator as a pointer or highlighter to indicate, mark, or identify a 
specific position, place, item, or object.
    ``(c) Exceptions.--This section does not prohibit aiming a beam of 
a laser pointer at an aircraft, or the flight path of such an aircraft, 
by--
            ``(1) an individual authorized to engage in such conduct by 
        an aircraft manufacturer as part of the conduct of research and 
        development or flight test operations conducted by such 
        manufacturer;
            ``(2) an official of the Federal Aviation Administration 
        authorized to engage in such conduct;
            ``(3) any other person authorized by the Federal Aviation 
        Administration to engage in such conduct as part of research 
        and development or flight test operations;
            ``(4) a member or element of the Department of Defense or 
        Department of Homeland Security acting in an official capacity 
        for the purpose of research, development, operations, testing, 
        or training; or
            ``(5) an individual using a laser emergency signaling 
        device to send an emergency distress signal.
    ``(d) Regulations.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Attorney General, in consultation 
        with the Secretary of Transportation, may provide by 
        regulation, after public notice and comment, such additional 
        exceptions to this section as may be necessary and appropriate.
            ``(2) Notice to congress.--Not later than 90 days before 
        the date any regulations issued under paragraph (1) become 
        final, the Attorney General shall provide written notification 
        of any proposed regulations under this section to the Committee 
        on the Judiciary and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
        Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on the Judiciary 
        and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the 
        House of Representatives.''.
    (b) Technical and Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) In general.--Chapter 2 of title 18, United States Code, 
        is amended by redesignating the section 39 relating to 
        commercial motor vehicle inspections as section 39A.
            (2) Amendment to table of sections.--The table of sections 
        at the beginning of chapter 2 of title 18, United States Code, 
        is amended by striking the item relating to the section 39 
        relating to commercial motor vehicle inspections and inserting 
        the following

``39A. Commercial motor vehicles required to stop for inspections.
``39B. Aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft.''.
                                                       Calendar No. 657

109th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                                S. 3993

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide penalties for aiming 
          laser pointers at airplanes, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

           September 30 (legislative day, September 29), 2006

            Read the second time and placed on the calendar