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SB2543 • 2026

Criminal Offenses

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8; Title 10; Title 33; Title 36; Title 37; Title 38; Title 39; Title 40; Title 41; Title 49; Title 50; Title 55 and Title 70, relative to criminal justice.

Crime Labor
Active

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

Sponsor
Gardenhire, Doggett
Last action
2026-04-13
Official status
Companion House Bill substituted
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Criminal Offenses

ON APRIL 6, 2026, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 2368, AS AMENDED.

What This Bill Does

  • ON APRIL 6, 2026, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 2368, AS AMENDED.
  • AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, create a Class A misdemeanor offense when a person operates an unmanned aircraft within 400' of or above a ticketed entertainment event.
  • A Class A misdemeanor offense is punishable by up to 11 months, 29 days in prison, a fine up to $2,500, or both.
  • A "ticketed entertainment event" is any music, sporting, or performing arts event held in a location with gated entries or barriers that prevent access to the general public and in which a ticket that has been iss ue d by an owner, operator, or lessee of such property is required for attendance at such event.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB2368

Plain English: The amendment creates a new law making it illegal to fly an unmanned aircraft within 400 feet of or above a ticketed entertainment event without proper authorization.

  • Adds a new section to Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 13, Part 9, which defines unauthorized operation of an unmanned aircraft near a ticketed entertainment event as a Class A misdemeanor.
  • Specifies exceptions where operating an unmanned aircraft is allowed, such as with federal authorization or for official business by employees and emergency management officers.
  • The amendment does not specify the penalties beyond classifying it as a Class A misdemeanor.
Amendment 1-0 to SB2543

Plain English: The amendment creates a new law making it illegal to fly an unmanned aircraft within 400 feet of or above ticketed entertainment events without proper authorization.

  • Adds a new section to Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 13, Part 9, which criminalizes unauthorized operation of unmanned aircraft near ticketed entertainment events.
  • Specifies that violating this law is a Class A misdemeanor.
  • Lists several exceptions where operating an unmanned aircraft would be allowed, such as with federal authorization or for official business purposes.
  • The amendment does not specify the penalties beyond classifying it as a Class A misdemeanor.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.

  2. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Companion House Bill substituted

  3. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 32, Nays 0, PNV 1

  4. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - SA0920)

  5. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.

  6. 2026-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/13/2026

  7. 2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

  8. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

  9. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., as am., Ayes 93, Nays 3, PNV 0

  10. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0998)

  11. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  12. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/6/2026

  13. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/2/2026

  14. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  15. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee

  16. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  17. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  18. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 0

  19. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/24/2026

  20. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 3/24/2026

  21. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/23/2026

  22. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/25/2026

  23. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 3/25/2026

  24. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  25. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee

  26. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to Judiciary Committee

  27. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  28. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.

  29. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  30. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  31. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  32. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON APRIL 6, 2026, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 2368, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, create a Class A misdemeanor offense when a person operates an unmanned aircraft within 400' of or above a ticketed entertainment event. A Class A misdemeanor offense is punishable by up to 11 months, 29 days
in prison, a fine up to $2,500, or both. A "ticketed entertainment event" is any music, sporting, or performing arts event held in a location with gated entries or barriers that prevent access to the general public and in which a ticket that has been iss
ue
d by an owner, operator, or lessee of such property is required for attendance at such event.

This amendment exempts from such offense a person who operates an unmanned aircraft and meets any of the following criteria:



Has obtained consent by any person with legal authority over a ticketed entertainment event.


Is authorized by the federal aviation administration to operate an unmanned aircraft and is operating the unmanned aircraft in a lawful manner and consistent with federal regulations.


Is an employee of the property where the ticketed entertainment event is held and is conducting official business.


Is an employee of a water, sewer, electrical, telephone, cable, or other regulated utility service provider and is conducting official business.


Is a law enforcement officer engaged in the actual discharge of official duties.


Is a member or employee of any branch of the United States armed forces or the military forces of this state engaged in the actual discharge of official duties.


Is an emergency management officer of this state or of any city, town, municipality, metropolitan government, or county of this state engaged in the actual discharge of official duties.


Is an owner of private property who is operating an unmanned aircraft above such property if the operation is (i) consistent with federal regulations; (ii) not for the purpose of interfering in any way with a ticketed entertainment event; and (iii) not to
surveille or capture images of security procedures for unlawful purposes.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 2368
By Doggett

SENATE BILL 2543
By Gardenhire
SB2543
011676
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8;
Title 10; Title 33; Title 36; Title 37; Title 38; Title
39; Title 40; Title 41; Title 49; Title 50; Title 55 and
Title 70, relative to criminal justice.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-16-202(a)(1), is amended by
deleting "five (5)" and substituting "three (3)".
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.