KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Alabama

HB274 • 2026

Department of Corrections; mitigation of unmanned aircraft systems authorized, exemptions on prohibition further provided for

Department of Corrections; mitigation of unmanned aircraft systems authorized, exemptions on prohibition further provided for

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Simpson
Last action
2026-03-05
Official status
Enacted
Effective date
2026-06-01

Plain English Breakdown

The exact federal laws and regulations that must be followed when jamming drone signals are not specified in the provided text.

Department of Corrections Can Stop Drones Near Prisons

This law allows the Department of Corrections to take reasonable and necessary measures against drones flying illegally near correctional facilities.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows the Department of Corrections to use jamming, hacking, physical capture, or other reasonable mitigation measures against unmanned aircraft systems operating unlawfully near corrections facilities.
  • Specifies that these actions must be consistent with federal law and regulations.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Department of Corrections
  • People who fly drones near correctional facilities

Terms To Know

Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)
Drones or other flying machines that do not have a human pilot on board.
Jamming
Interfering with the signals of electronic devices to stop them from working properly.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law does not specify how the Department of Corrections will decide which measures are reasonable and necessary.
  • It is unclear what specific federal laws or regulations must be followed when jamming drone signals.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

XD5WW77-1

R 294

Adopted

Plain English: XD5WW77-1 01/28/2026 THR (H) HSE 2025-2495 House Public Safety and Homeland Security Reported Substitute for HB274 Page 1 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT Relating to crimes and offenses; to add Section 13A-7-94.1 to the Code of Alabama 1975; to authorize the Department of Corrections to take certain actions regarding unmanned aircraft systems.

  • XD5WW77-1 01/28/2026 THR (H) HSE 2025-2495 House Public Safety and Homeland Security Reported Substitute for HB274 Page 1 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT Relating to crimes and offenses; to add Section 13A-7-94.1 to the Code of Alabama 1975; to authorize the Department of Corrections to take certain actions regarding unmanned aircraft systems.
  • BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA: Section 1.
  • Section 13A-7-94.1 is added to the Code of Alabama 1975, to read as follows: §13A-7-94.1 (a) The Department of Corrections may take reasonable and necessary measures against an unmanned aircraft system operating in violation of this article, including, but not limited to, all of the following measures: (1) Jamming , to the extent consistent with federal law and regulations, including those of the Federal Communications Commission .
  • (2) Hacking.
  • This amendment summary is using official source text because generated interpretation was skipped for this run.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-05 House

    Enacted

  2. 2026-02-26 Senate

    Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 638 (Yeas 30, Nays 0)

  3. 2026-02-26 Senate

    Third Reading in Second House (Yeas 29, Nays 0)

  4. 2026-02-26 House

    Delivered to Governor

  5. 2026-02-26 Senate

    Signature Requested

  6. 2026-02-26 House

    Enrolled

  7. 2026-02-26 House

    Ready to Enroll

  8. 2026-02-12 Senate

    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

  9. 2026-02-11 Senate

    Reported Out of Committee Second House

  10. 2026-02-05 House

    Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 295 (Yeas 104, Nays 0)

  11. 2026-02-05 House

    Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 294 (Yeas 101, Nays 0)

  12. 2026-02-05 House

    Third Reading in House of Origin (Yeas 96, Nays 0)

  13. 2026-02-05 Senate

    Pending Committee Action in Second House

  14. 2026-02-05 Senate

    Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Safety

  15. 2026-02-05 House

    Engrossed

  16. 2026-02-05 House

    Public Safety and Homeland Security Engrossed Substitute Offered

  17. 2026-01-29 House

    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

  18. 2026-01-28 House

    Reported Out of Committee House of Origin

  19. 2026-01-15 House

    Pending Committee Action in House of Origin

  20. 2026-01-15 House

    Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security

Official Summary Text

This act adds Section 13A-7-94.1 to the Code of Alabama 1975, to authorize the Department of Corrections to take reasonable and necessary measures against unmanned aircraft systems operating unlawfully near corrections facilities.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HB274 ENROLLED
Page 0
HB274
XD5WW77-3
By Representative Simpson
RFD: Public Safety and Homeland Security
First Read: 15-Jan-26
1
2
3
4
5
HB274 Enrolled
Page 1
First Read: 15-Jan-26
Enrolled, An Act,
Relating to crimes and offenses; to add Section
13A-7-94.1 to the Code of Alabama 1975; to authorize the
Department of Corrections to take certain actions regarding
unmanned aircraft systems.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. Section 13A-7-94.1 is added to the Code of
Alabama 1975, to read as follows:
§13A-7-94.1
(a) The Department of Corrections may take reasonable
and necessary measures against an unmanned aircraft system
operating in violation of this article, including, but not
limited to, all of the following measures:
(1) Jamming, to the extent consistent with federal law
and regulations, including those of the Federal Communications
Commission.
(2) Hacking.
(3) Physical capture.
(4) Any other reasonable mitigation measure undertaken
to neutralize, intercept, disable, or disrupt an unmanned
aircraft system.
(b) This section shall not be construed to eliminate,
alter, or otherwise modify any other immunity or defense
available to the Department of Corrections or its officers,
employees, or agents established by law.
Section 2. This act shall become effective on June 1,
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
HB274 Enrolled
Page 2
Section 2. This act shall become effective on June 1,
2026.29
HB274 Enrolled
Page 3
2026.
________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Representatives
________________________________________________
President and Presiding Officer of the Senate
House of Representatives
I hereby certify that the within Act originated in and
was passed by the House as amended, 05-Feb-26.
John Treadwell
Clerk
Senate 26-Feb-26 Passed
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63