House Bill 1538, also known as Senate Bill 1631, 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) to reflect this change by substituting the reference from "(a)(1)-(5)" to "(a)(1)-(4)." Additionally, it introduces a new subdivision in Section 39-16-201(b) that makes it illegal to knowingly use an unmanned aircraft over properties that include correctional facilities.

Furthermore, the bill modifies Section 39-16-201(c)(1) to classify violations of the new unmanned aircraft regulations 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 operating illegally over their properties without incurring liability for any resulting damage 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)