---
type: "Bill"
title: "Criminal Offenses - As enacted, generally requires by January 1, 2024, each law enforcement agency to develop and enforce a policy that prohibits an officer from using a drone or other substantially similar device as a weapon under any circumstances while in the exercise of the officer's official duties; requires a law enforcement agency to permit an officer qualified to operate a drone to utilize a drone or a substantially similar device for the purpose of remotely detonating a bomb or similar incendiary or explosive device. - Amends TCA Title 38; Title 39; Title 40; Title 70, Chapter 4, Part 3 and Chapter 462 of the Private Acts of 2021."
description: "Criminal Offenses - As enacted, generally requires by January 1, 2024, each law enforcement agency to develop and enforce a policy that prohibits an officer from using a drone or other substantially similar device as a weapon under any circumstances while in the exercise of the officer's official duties; requires a law enforcement agency to permit an officer qualified to operate a drone to utilize a drone or a substantially similar device for the purpose of remotely detonating a bomb or similar incendiary or explosive device. - Amends TCA Title 38; Title 39; Title 40; Title 70, Chapter 4, Part 3 and Chapter 462 of the Private Acts of 2021."
jurisdiction: "us/states/tn"
legislature: "Tennessee General Assembly"
session: "113"
identifier: "HB 1492"
citation: "Tennessee HB 1492 (113)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Criminal Offenses"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Clemmons"]
version_count: 3
action_count: 28
vote_count: 5
first_action: "2023-01-31"
last_action: "2023-05-03"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/81b402c5-ed1c-4ba8-82f0-3c95c051f609"
source_url: "http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=HB1492&GA=113"
source_hash: "5c3f34e9d536e309220e3af5a18432ed432bba22a33f17aa4689a44f9827481b"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-tn"]
---

# Tennessee HB 1492 (113) — Criminal Offenses - As enacted, generally requires by January 1, 2024, each law enforcement agency to develop and enforce a policy that prohibits an officer from using a drone or other substantially similar device as a weapon under any circumstances while in the exercise of the officer's official duties; requires a law enforcement agency to permit an officer qualified to operate a drone to utilize a drone or a substantially similar device for the purpose of remotely detonating a bomb or similar incendiary or explosive device. - Amends TCA Title 38; Title 39; Title 40; Title 70, Chapter 4, Part 3 and Chapter 462 of the Private Acts of 2021.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Amendment HA0096** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/113/Amend/HA0096.pdf)
2. **Amendment SA0351** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/113/Amend/SA0351.pdf)
3. **Current Version** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/113/Bill/HB1492.pdf)

## Votes

- FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 3/20/2023 Passed (1) — **89–3** (pass) · lower
- HOUSE CALENDAR & RULES COMMITTEE: H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 3/20/2023 3/16/2023 (2) — **0–0** (fail) · lower
- HOUSE PUBLIC SERVICE SUBCOMMITTEE: Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to State Government Committee 2/21/2023 (4) — **0–0** (fail) · lower
- FLOOR VOTE: Third Consideration 4/12/2023 Passed (1) — **31–0** (pass) · upper
- HOUSE STATE GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE: Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee 3/8/2023 (3) — **0–0** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Clemmons — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2023-01-31** Filed for introduction `filing`
- **2023-02-01** Intro., P1C. `introduction`
- **2023-02-02** P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.
- **2023-02-15** Placed on s/c cal Public Service Subcommittee for 2/21/2023
- **2023-02-15** Assigned to s/c Public Service Subcommittee `referral-committee`
- **2023-02-15** Ref. to State Government Committee `referral-committee`
- **2023-02-21** Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to State Government Committee `referral-committee`
- **2023-02-22** Placed on cal. State Government Committee for 3/1/2023
- **2023-03-01** Placed on cal. State Government Committee for 3/8/2023
- **2023-03-01** Action def. in State Government Committee to 3/8/2023
- **2023-03-08** Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2023-03-15** Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/16/2023
- **2023-03-16** H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 3/20/2023
- **2023-03-20** Passed H., as am., Ayes 89, Nays 3, PNV 0 `passage`
- **2023-03-20** Sponsor(s) Added. `sponsorship`
- **2023-03-20** H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0096) `amendment-passage`
- **2023-03-21** Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen. `receipt`
- **2023-03-23** Received from House, Passed on First Consideration `introduction`
- **2023-04-12** Passed Senate, Ayes 31, Nays 0 `passage`
- **2023-04-12** Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - SA0351)
- **2023-04-12** Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill. `substitution`
- **2023-04-13** Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker. `enrolled`
- **2023-04-18** Signed by H. Speaker `passage`
- **2023-04-19** Signed by Senate Speaker `passage`
- **2023-04-20** Transmitted to Governor for his action. `executive-receipt`
- **2023-04-28** Signed by Governor. `executive-signature`
- **2023-05-03** Effective date(s) 04/28/2023
- **2023-05-03** Pub. Ch. 326

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/81b402c5-ed1c-4ba8-82f0-3c95c051f609`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Tennessee legislature records).