Which state legislatures proposed or passed geoengineering/atmospheric spraying bans since 2000?
Executive summary
Since 2000, state-level activity on banning “geoengineering” or atmospheric spraying has been intermittent but has surged since 2024: Tennessee enacted a ban in early 2024 (reported as the first state to do so) and dozens of other legislatures have introduced or debated similar measures through 2025, with reporting noting roughly 30 states had proposed bills by early 2025 and at least 22 states introducing bills in 2025 alone [1] [2] [3]. Major coverage emphasizes that many proposals conflate cloud‑seeding and theoretical solar radiation management with the “chemtrails” conspiracy, and experts warn broad bans could hinder legitimate, small‑scale weather‑modification work [2] [4] [3].
1. The first state to convert proposals into law: Tennessee’s 2024 ban
Tennessee’s legislature passed a bill in early 2024 that would prohibit the “intentional injection, release or dispersion” of chemicals into the atmosphere to affect temperature, weather or sunlight intensity — and press coverage identified Tennessee as the first state to pass such a law through both chambers [3] [5]. Reporting on the legislative process shows lawmakers often mixed concerns about cloud seeding with allusions to the chemtrails conspiracy during hearings [3] [5].
2. Rapid proliferation of proposals after 2024: dozens of states considered bans
News trackers and specialist outlets reported a sharp rise in state bills in 2024–2025: one monitoring group said roughly 30 states had proposed bans by early 2025 and that 22 states introduced bills just in 2025 [1]. Media outlets and international wire services described a “surge” of proposed “weather control” bans across Republican‑led legislatures in particular [2] [4].
3. Florida’s 2025 action and the contested “first” framing
Multiple sources from 2025 reported Florida moving aggressively to ban geoengineering and weather modification, with bills (SB 56/SB 36 in coverage) pushed by state Republicans and strong public attention — some outlets later reported a governor’s signature in mid‑2025 and criminal penalties tied to the law [6] [7] [8]. Available sources state Tennessee passed a ban in 2024 and that Florida’s 2025 measures follow that precedent; sources differ on how outlets characterize which action is “first” depending on timing and the bill texts [1] [7] [8].
4. Who is driving the bills: politics, fear and misinformation
Reporting ties the wave of state bills to a mixture of political actors, grassroots activists and prominent figures amplifying chemtrails rhetoric. Coverage links some lawmakers and advocates to conspiracy‑laden claims and to public figures vocal about “chemtrails,” and notes that recent hurricane seasons and social‑media amplification helped fuel legislative momentum [2] [3] [9]. News analyses explicitly say some measures were drafted or advanced after public fears of government weather‑manipulation resurfaced [2] [4].
5. Experts warn of collateral damage to legitimate programs
Scientists and legal scholars interviewed in the coverage caution that blanket state bans risk impeding established, small‑scale weather‑modification programs like cloud seeding and could complicate future research into solar radiation modification, which remains largely theoretical [4] [5]. The AFP and other outlets framed many state bills as knee‑jerk responses to misinformation that may jeopardize beneficial local programs [4].
6. Geographic spread and examples cited in coverage
Reporting names multiple states that have introduced or debated bills: Tennessee (passed 2024), Kentucky, Iowa, Arizona, Montana, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and others featured in state press and national outlets as introducing or considering bans — and map projects and trackers noted at least eight states with “chemtrail”‑style legislation and broader tallies up to mid‑2025 of dozens of states in play [3] [10] [11] [12] [1].
7. Limits of available reporting and open questions
Available sources do not provide a single authoritative, up‑to‑date list that names every state bill since 2000; most coverage focuses on activity from about 2014 onward and accelerates after 2023–2025 [2] [1]. Sources consistently say the field of intentional large‑scale geoengineering remains mostly theoretical and that federal agencies deny conducting large programs — but they do not enumerate every state bill back to 2000 [5] [2]. For a definitive, current roster of state bills you should consult legislative databases or a tracker maintained by a research organization (available sources do not mention a single comprehensive list in this packet).
8. Bottom line for readers
State legislatures moved from occasional proposals to a concentrated wave of bills in 2024–2025, with Tennessee’s 2024 vote often cited as the first enacted ban and dozens more states introducing measures in 2025 [3] [1]. Coverage warns these actions are driven partly by conspiracy narratives and political messaging, and experts say broad bans risk blocking routine weather‑modification work and future research [2] [4].