Senate Bill 1631, also known as House Bill 1538, amends various sections of the Tennessee Code Annotated concerning unmanned aircraft, particularly in relation to correctional facilities. The bill removes subdivision (5) from Section 39-13-903(a) and updates Section 39-13-903(b)(1) by replacing the reference to subdivisions (a)(1)-(5) with (a)(1)-(4). Additionally, it introduces a new subdivision in Section 39-16-201(b) that makes it illegal to knowingly operate an unmanned aircraft over properties that include correctional facilities.

Furthermore, the bill modifies Section 39-16-201(c)(1) to classify violations of certain subdivisions as a Class C felony. It also adds a new subsection (d) to Section 39-16-201, which allows correctional facility employees to disable unmanned aircraft that violate the new regulations without incurring liability for any damage caused to the aircraft. The provisions of this act are set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 39-13-903(a)(5), 39-13-903, 39-13-903(b)(1), 39-16-201(b), 39-16-201, 39-16-201(c)(1)