HB156: HB156 Transportation, Department of; authority over vertiports; provide

Georgia law already gives the Department of Transportation power over airports and landing fields, but it did not specifically address vertiports, the small landing areas used by aircraft that take off and land vertically, such as air taxis or drones carrying passengers or cargo. This bill amends Georgia's aviation code (O.C.G.A. § 6-1-1) to define a vertiport and to say that the term landing field includes a vertiport, putting these facilities under the department's existing planning, development, and coordination powers. The bill also changes a separate part of Georgia's tax code (O.C.G.A. § 48-13-50.2) dealing with the excise tax that local governments collect on hotel rooms and short-term lodging. It adds air service product expansion at air carrier airports to the list of activities that count as tourism product development, meaning local hotel tax money can be used to help fund airport-related projects tied to bringing in new air service. The bill repeals conflicting laws and does not state a delayed effective date.

• Adds a legal definition of vertiport to Georgia's aviation code, covering aircraft over 1,320 pounds capable of vertical takeoff and landing.
• Classifies vertiports as a type of landing field, extending the Department of Transportation's existing authority over landing fields to cover them.
• Confirms the Department of Transportation's powers to plan, promote, and coordinate aviation facilities in the state now explicitly apply to vertiports.
• Amends Georgia's hotel and lodging excise tax law (O.C.G.A. § 48-13-50.2) to add air service product expansion at air carrier airports as an allowed tourism product development use.
• Repeals any existing state laws that conflict with these changes.

The Department of Transportation, which gains explicit oversight of vertiports; companies developing air taxi, cargo drone, or other vertical-takeoff aircraft services in Georgia; local governments and airport authorities near air carrier airports; and local governments that collect and allocate hotel and lodging excise tax revenue.

As electric air taxis and similar aircraft become more common, this bill clarifies who regulates their landing sites in Georgia, giving the Department of Transportation the same kind of authority it has over traditional airports. It also lets local hotel tax revenue help pay for projects aimed at expanding air service at existing airports.

• Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. § 6-1-1 to define 'vertiport' as an area for landing, takeoff, and servicing of vertical takeoff aircraft over 1,320 pounds.
• Section 1 states that the term 'landing field' includes a vertiport, bringing it under the Department of Transportation's existing statutory powers.
• Section 1 restates the department's powers to plan for aviation facilities, promote air commerce, and coordinate with the State Transportation Board and other government bodies, now covering vertiports.
• Section 2 amends O.C.G.A. § 48-13-50.2 by adding 'Air service product expansion at air carrier airports' as a new category of tourism product development eligible for hotel and lodging excise tax funding.
• Section 3 repeals all state laws that conflict with the Act.

1. 2025-05-13Effective Date 2025-07-01
2. 2025-05-13Act 172
3. 2025-05-13House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2025-04-09House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2025-04-04House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub (House)
6. 2025-04-02Senate Passed/Adopted As Amended (Senate)
7. 2025-04-02Senate Third Read (Senate)
8. 2025-04-02Senate Taken from Table (Senate)

• Todd Jones (R, HD-025)Primary sponsor
• Brad Thomas (R, HD-021)
• Scott Hilton (R, HD-048)
• John LaHood (R, HD-175)
• Clint Crowe (R, HD-118)
• Brandon Beach (R, SD-021)

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 26, 2025

   162 yea, 7 nay (3 not voting, 8 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #88

2. PassedSenate voteApril 2, 2025

   53 yea, 0 nay (1 not voting, 2 absent)

   Passage As Amended: Senate Vote #432

3. PassedHouse voteApril 4, 2025

   159 yea, 3 nay (7 not voting, 11 absent)

   Agree To Senate Amendment: House Vote #410

• vertiports
• air taxis
• Department of Transportation
• hotel tax
• airport funding