Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

S.B. 161 First Substitute (2023GS)

Sponsor

Sen. Harper, W.

Final action

Governor Signed 3/17/2023

Outcome

Became law — signed by Gov. Spencer J. Cox

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• requires the Department of Transportation to study the following items related to advanced air mobility, including:
• vertiport locations and infrastructure;
• implementation strategies of advanced air mobility technologies;
• unmanned traffic management infrastructure; and
• the creation of an advanced air mobility sandbox;
• requires the Department of Transportation to provide a report to the Transportation Interim Committee;
• instructs the Department of Transportation to use existing departmental funds to cover the costs of the study; and
• amends provisions related to preemption of local land use authority pertaining to advanced air mobility.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY REVISIONS
GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Wayne A. Harper
House Sponsor: 
Kay J. Christofferson
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill creates a study for the Department of Transportation regarding advanced air
mobility.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
▸ requires the Department of Transportation to study the following items related to
advanced air mobility, including:
• vertiport locations and infrastructure;
• implementation strategies of advanced air mobility technologies;
• unmanned traffic management infrastructure; and
• the creation of an advanced air mobility sandbox;
▸ requires the Department of Transportation to provide a report to the Transportation
Interim Committee;
▸ instructs the Department of Transportation to use existing departmental funds to
cover the costs of the study; and
▸ amends provisions related to preemption of local land use authority pertaining to
advanced air mobility.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
72-14-103
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2022, Chapter 99
ENACTS:
72-1-217
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 
72-1-217
 is enacted to read:
 72-1-217.
Department of Transportation study items.
(1) The department shall carry out transportation studies described in this section as
resources allow.
(2) (a) The department shall study items related to advanced air mobility as described
in this Subsection (2).
(b) The department shall study vertiport locations and infrastructure, including:
(i) identification of suitable locations for vertiport infrastructure and parking
infrastructure for vertiports in metropolitan areas;
(ii) identification of commuter rail stations that may be suitable for vertiport
placement; and
(iii) identification of underutilized parking lots and parking structures for vertiport
infrastructure placement.
(c) The department shall study best practices and implementation of advanced air
mobility technologies, including:
(i) seeking input through community engagement;
(ii) state and local regulations;
(iii) unmanned aircraft system traffic management; and
(iv) weather reporting and monitoring for advanced air mobility safety.
(d) The department shall study unmanned aircraft traffic management infrastructure,
including:
(i) unmanned aircraft system traffic management development, implementation,
procedures, policies, and infrastructure; and
(ii) obtaining a full understanding of unmanned aircraft system traffic management,
including:
(A) designation of airspace for advanced air mobility;
(B) creation of geographic categorical areas;
(C) identifying the appropriate number and location of advanced air mobility sensors;
and
(D) other state specific details regarding unmanned aircraft system traffic management.
(e) The department shall study the creation of an advanced air mobility sandbox,
including:
(i) potential locations for the sandbox testing area and desirable attributes of a suitable
sandbox location;
(ii) requirements to create a geographical advanced air mobility testing area and the
parameters for the types of technology that may be utilized in the testing area; and
(iii) testing and studying different types of advanced air mobility transportation of
manned and unmanned aerial vehicles, including:
(A) aerial vehicle size;
(B) aerial vehicles that carry cargo, including medical cargo;
(C) commercial aerial vehicles; and
(D) public transportation aerial vehicles.
(f) On or before September 30, 2023, the department shall provide a report to the
Transportation Interim Committee of the department's findings from the study items described
in Subsections (2)(b) through (2)(e).
(g) The department may only use existing funds to cover the expenses incurred from
the study of items described in Subsections (2)(b) through (2)(e).
Section 2. Section 
72-14-103
 is amended to read:
72-14-103.
Preemption of local ordinance.
(1) A political subdivision of the state, or an entity within a political subdivision of the
state, may not enact a law, ordinance, or rule governing the private use of an unmanned aircraft
or the private use of an advanced air mobility system, unless:
(a) authorized by this chapter; or
(b) the political subdivision or entity is an airport operator that enacts the law, rule, or
ordinance to govern:
(i) the operation of an unmanned aircraft or an advanced air mobility system within the
geographic boundaries of the airport over which the airport operator has authority; or
(ii) the takeoff or landing of an unmanned aircraft or an aircraft operated as part of an
advanced air mobility system at the airport over which the airport operator has authority.
 (2) A political subdivision may not enter into an agreement to grant or permit an
exclusive right to one or more vertiport owners or operators.
[
(2)
] 
(3)
 This chapter supersedes any law, ordinance, or rule enacted by a political
subdivision of the state before July 1, 2017.