EMERGENCY EXEMPTION PROCESS.

SEC. 353. [49 U.S.C. 44802 note] EMERGENCY EXEMPTION PROCESS. (a) Sense of Congress.—It is the sense of Congress that the use of unmanned aircraft systems by civil and public operators— (1) is an increasingly important tool in response to a catastrophe, disaster, or other emergency; (2) helps facilitate emergency response operations, such as firefighting and search and rescue; and (3) helps facilitate post-catastrophic response operations, such as utility and infrastructure restoration efforts and the safe and prompt processing, adjustment, and payment of insurance claims. (b) Updates.—The Administrator shall, as necessary, update and improve the Special Government Interest process described in chapter 7 of Federal Aviation Administration Order JO 7200.23A to ensure that civil and public operators, including local law enforcement agencies and first responders, continue to use unmanned aircraft system operations quickly and efficiently in response to a catastrophe, disaster, or other emergency. (c) Best Practices.—The Administrator shall develop best practices for the use of unmanned aircraft systems by States and localities to respond to a catastrophe, disaster, or other emergency response and recovery operation.