Securing Aircraft Cockpits Against Lasers Act of 2010
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Congressional Research Service
Official summary
Version 36 · Passed House amended · Jul 27, 2010
Securing Aircraft Cockpits Against Lasers Act of 2010 - Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit the aiming of the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft or in its flight path. Imposes a fine and/or prison term of up to five years.
Exempts from such prohibition: (1) individuals conducting research and development or flight test operations for an aircraft manufacturer or the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); (2) Department of Defense (DOD) or Department of Homeland Security (DHS) personnel conducting research, development, operations, testing or training; or (3) an individual using a laser emergency signaling device to send a distress signal. Authorizes the Attorney General to provide additional exemptions by regulation upon notification of proposed regulations to the Judiciary Committees of Congress, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation not less than 90 days before such regulations become final.
Provides for compliance of the budgetary effects of this Act with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010.
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Aug 10, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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