Tennessee legislation · 114th General Assembly
Tennessee HB2368: 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.
Status: Chaptered, May 18, 2026
Fiscal Summary NOT SIGNIFICANT Bill Summary 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 issued 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 officia
What the bill says
From the amended text:
House Judiciary 1 Amendment No. 1 to HB2368 Farmer Signature of Sponsor AMEND S e n ate Bill No. 2543* House Bill No. 2368 by deleting all language after the enacting clause and substituting: SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 13, Part 9, is amended by adding the following new section: (a) A person commits the offense of unauthorized operation of an unmanned aircraft who operates an unmanned aircraft within four hundred feet (400') of or above a ticketed entertainment event. (b) A violation of this section is a Class A misdemeanor. (c) Subsection (a) does not apply when a person who operates an unmanned aircraft: (1) Has obtained consent by any person with legal authority over a ticketed entertainment event; (2) 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; (3) Is an employee of the property where the ticketed entertainment event is held and is conducting official business; (4) Is an employee of a water, sewer, electrical, telephone, cable, or other regulated utility service provider and is conducting official business; (5) Is a law enforcement officer engaged in the actual discharge of official duties; HA0998 (6) Is a member or employee of any branch of the United States …