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HB1538 • 2026

Criminal Offenses

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, relative to unmanned aircraft.

Crime Labor
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Stinnett, Hatcher
Last action
2026-04-08
Official status
Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2026
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide specific details on the definition of unmanned aircraft, but it references existing definitions.

Unmanned Aircraft Over Correctional Facilities

This bill changes Tennessee law to make using an unmanned aircraft over a correctional facility a felony and allows correctional staff to disable such aircraft without facing legal consequences for damage caused.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the penalty for knowingly flying an unmanned aircraft over any portion of property that includes a correctional facility from a Class C misdemeanor to a Class C felony.
  • Allows correctional facility employees to disable unmanned aircraft operating over property that includes a correctional facility without facing legal consequences for damage caused.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who use unmanned aircraft near correctional facilities
  • Correctional facility employees

Terms To Know

Unmanned Aircraft
A flying device that does not have a human pilot on board, like a drone.
Felony
A serious crime that can lead to more than one year in prison or a fine of over $10,000.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if the unmanned aircraft is used for legal purposes.
  • It's unclear how this law will be enforced and whether it will prevent all unauthorized drone use over correctional facilities.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB1538

Plain English: The amendment changes Tennessee law by adding restrictions on using drones over correctional facilities and allowing employees to disable drones that violate these rules.

  • Removes a section of existing law related to unmanned aircraft near critical infrastructure.
  • Modifies another part of the law to adjust references after removing sections.
  • Adds new provisions prohibiting the use of drones over properties with correctional facilities, except for certain exceptions like military and government operations.
  • Specifies that violations are classified as Class C felonies.
  • The exact impact on current drone regulations is not fully explained in the amendment text.
Amendment 1-0 to SB1631

Plain English: The amendment changes Tennessee law by adding restrictions on using drones over correctional facilities and allowing certain employees to disable drones that violate these rules.

  • Removes a specific clause from existing laws regarding unmanned aircraft.
  • Updates references in the law to reflect the removal of the previous clause.
  • Adds new provisions prohibiting the use of drones over correctional facilities, with exceptions for military and government entities.
  • Specifies that violations related to drone usage over correctional facilities are classified as a Class C felony.
  • The exact impact on current drone regulations is not fully explained in the amendment text.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2026

  2. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed behind the budget

  3. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  4. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/8/2026

  5. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee

  6. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  7. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 4/1/2026

  8. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 4/1/2026

  9. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/23/2026

  10. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Judiciary Committee

  11. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee Ayes 8, Nays 0 PNV 1

  12. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/18/2026

  13. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 3/18/2026

  14. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/16/2026

  15. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/11/2026

  16. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 3/11/2026

  17. 2026-03-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  18. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/4/2026

  19. 2026-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee

  20. 2026-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee

  21. 2026-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  22. 2026-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  23. 2026-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  24. 2026-01-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  25. 2026-01-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 1631
By Hatcher

HOUSE BILL 1538
By Stinnett
HB1538
009515
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39,
relative to unmanned aircraft.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-13-903(a)(5), is amended by
deleting the subdivision.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-13-903(b)(1), is amended by
deleting the language "(a)(1)-(5)" and substituting "(a)(1)-(4)".
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-16-201(b), is amended by adding
the following new subdivision:
(3) Knowingly use an unmanned aircraft over any portion of a property that
includes a correctional facility. As used in this section, "unmanned aircraft" means the
same as defined in § 39-13-901.
SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-16-201(c)(1), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting:
(1) A violation of subdivision (b)(1)(A), (b)(2)(A), or (b)(3) is a Class C felony.
SECTION 5. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-16-201, is amended by adding
the following new subsection:
(d) A correctional facility employee may disable an unmanned aircraft that is
operating over property that includes a correctional facility in violation of subdivision
(b)(3). The correctional facility and the correctional facility employee are not liable for
damage to the unmanned aircraft as a result of being disabled.
SECTION 6. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.