HB 156: Transportation, Department of; authority over vertiports; provide

Georgia law currently gives the Department of Transportation power over airports and landing fields but does not specifically address vertiports, the small landing sites designed for aircraft that take off and land vertically, such as some new electric air taxis. House Bill 156 amends Georgia's aviation law (O.C.G.A. § 6-1-1) to define 'vertiport' and to say that a landing field includes a vertiport, which brings vertiports under the department's existing planning, development, and maintenance powers. The bill also changes a separate part of state tax law (O.C.G.A. § 48-13-50.2) that lists what counts as 'tourism product development' for purposes of the excise tax charged on hotel rooms and other lodging. It adds 'air service product expansion at air carrier airports' to that list, meaning local hotel tax revenue earmarked for tourism development could also be used to help expand air service at commercial airports. The bill repeals any conflicting laws.

• Defines 'vertiport' in state aviation law as an area for landing, takeoff, and servicing aircraft over 1,320 pounds capable of vertical takeoff and landing.
• Classifies vertiports as a type of landing field, giving the Department of Transportation the same planning and development authority over them that it has over airports.
• Adds 'air service product expansion at air carrier airports' as a new category of tourism product development eligible for hotel and lodging excise tax funding.
• Updates several references in the aviation code from 'the state' to 'this state' as a technical wording change.

The Georgia Department of Transportation, which gains formal authority over vertiport planning and development; companies or governments building vertiports for aircraft such as air taxis; and local governments and airports that collect hotel and lodging excise taxes and could direct some of that money toward expanding air service at commercial airports.

As vertical takeoff aircraft become more common, this bill clarifies who in Georgia government oversees where they can land, giving the Department of Transportation a legal basis to plan and regulate vertiports. It also opens local hotel tax revenue as a funding source for airport air service growth.

• Section 1 rewrites O.C.G.A. § 6-1-1 to add definitions for 'landing field' (now including vertiports) and 'vertiport' itself, tied to aircraft over 1,320 pounds capable of vertical takeoff and landing.
• Section 1 folds vertiports into the Department of Transportation's existing powers to plan, promote, and coordinate aviation facilities across the state.
• Section 2 amends O.C.G.A. § 48-13-50.2 to add 'air service product expansion at air carrier airports' as subparagraph (Q) under the definition of tourism product development.
• Section 3 repeals any state laws that conflict with the changes.

1. 2025-07-01Effective Date
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-25)Primary sponsor
• Brad Thomas (R, HD-21)
• Scott Hilton (R, HD-48)
• John LaHood (R, HD-175)
• Clint Crowe (R, HD-118)
• Brandon Beach (R, SD-21)

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 26, 2025

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

   PASSAGE: House Vote #88

2. PassedSenate voteApril 2, 2025

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

   PASSAGE AS AMENDED: Senate Vote #432

3. PassedHouse voteApril 4, 2025

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

   Agree to Senate Amendment: House Vote #410

• aviation regulation
• vertiports
• air taxis
• hotel and lodging tax
• airport funding