Tennessee bill lets prison staff disable drones, avoids lawsuits

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

Introduced· 2026-01-13

Who's it for

Who's it for: Government Power

What it means for you

3/10Hurts you

Bad for everyday people ·

ImmunityRight removed

Plain‑English summary, cross‑checked against the official bill text.

This bill would make it a bigger crime to fly a drone over a prison and let prison workers stop drones without being sued for damage.

Our take

What we think, in plain words.

If this bill passes, flying a drone over a prison, even by accident, could lead to serious trouble. Your drone could be shot down or stopped, and you would not be able to sue the prison or its workers for breaking it. This means people who own drones would lose their right to get paid back if their drone is damaged by prison staff. The bill aims to keep prisons safe from drones bringing in bad things, but it also takes away a person's right to seek justice for their property.

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The facts

What the bill actually says, no spin.

It would make it a much worse crime to fly a drone over a prison.
The punishment would change from a small crime to a big crime, a Class C felony.
Prison workers would be allowed to stop drones flying over prison land.
The prison and its workers would not be responsible for breaking drones they stop.