--- title: HB 156. Transportation, Department of; authority over vertiports; provide collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hb156 cite_as: HB 156, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb156 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb156.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb156/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69593 date: 2025-05-13 status: passed corpus_version: bills-2026-08-28 license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb155.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb157.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 1379 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb156.md?full=1 bill_number: HB 156 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: bill status_date: 2025-05-13 last_action: Effective Date 2025-07-01 sponsors: - Todd Jones - Brad Thomas - Scott Hilton - John LaHood - Clint Crowe - Brandon Beach text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB156/2025 upstream_id: 1945193 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - vertiports - air taxis - Department of Transportation - hotel tax - airport funding --- # HB 156. Transportation, Department of; authority over vertiports; provide ## Text 25 HB 156/AP House Bill 156 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE) By: Representatives Jones of the 25th, Thomas of the 21st, Hilton of the 48th, LaHood of the 175th, and Crowe of the 118th A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Chapter 1 of Title 6 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general1 provisions relative to aviation, so as to provide the Departmen t of Transportation with2 authority over vertiports; to provide for definitions; to amend Code Section 48-13-50.2 of the3 Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to definitions relative to excise tax on rooms,4 lodgings, and accommodations, so as to revise the definition of the term "tourism product5 development" to include air service product expansion at air carrier airports; to provide for6 related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.7 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:8 SECTION 1.9 Chapter 1 of Title 6 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions10 relative to aviation, is amended by revising Code Section 6-1-1, relating to powers and duties11 of Department of Transportation — Aviation and aviation facilities generally, as follows:12 "6-1-1.13 (a) As used in this title, the term:14 (1) 'Landing field' shall include a vertiport.15 H. B. 156 - 1 - 25 HB 156/AP (2) 'Vertiport' means an area specifically designated and primarily used for the landing,16 takeoff, and servicing of aircraft with a maximum takeoff weight of greater than 1,32017 pounds that is capable of vertical takeoff and landing.18 (b) The Department of Transportation shall have the following powers and duties:19 (1) To plan for and establish a long-term policy in regard to the establishment,20 development, and maintenance of aviation, landing fields, and aviation facilities in the21 this state;22 (2) To promote and encourage the use of aviation facilities of the state for air commerce23 in the this state and between the state, other states, and foreign countries;24 (3) To cooperate, counsel, and advise with the State Transportation Board in regard to25 the planning, construction, development, and maintenance of airports, landing fields, and26 air navigation facilities in the this state;27 (4) To cooperate, counsel, and advise with municipalities and other political subdivisions28 of the state and with other departments, boards, bureaus, commi ssions, agencies, or29 establishments, whether federal, state, or local, or public or private, for the purpose of30 promoting and obtaining coordination in the planning for and in the establishment of31 development, maintenance, and protection of a system of air rou tes, airports, landing32 fields, and other aviation facilities in the this state."33 SECTION 2.34 Code Section 48-13-50.2 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to definitions35 relative to excise tax on rooms, lodgings, and accommodations, is amended in paragraph (6)36 by striking "or" at the end of subparagraph (O), by replacing the period with "; and" at the37 end of subparagraph (P), and by adding a new subparagraph to read as follows:38 "(Q) Air service product expansion at air carrier airports."39 H. B. 156 - 2 - 25 HB 156/AP SECTION 3.40 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.41 H. B. 156 - 3 - ## Summaries written by Georgia Commons The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary. House Bill 156 gives the Georgia Department of Transportation formal authority over vertiports, the landing pads used by vertical takeoff aircraft, and expands what local hotel tax revenue can fund for airport-related tourism projects. ### Plain-language summary 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. ### What it does - 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. ### Who it affects 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. ### Why it matters 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. ### Key provisions - 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. ## Status - Status: Passed (2025-05-13) - Last action: Effective Date 2025-07-01 (2025-05-13) - Sponsors: Todd Jones, Brad Thomas, Scott Hilton, John LaHood, Clint Crowe, Brandon Beach - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69593 > The history, votes, and amendments (1,379 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb156.md?full=1