Arizona 2025 2025 Regular Session

Arizona Senate Bill SB1307 Comm Sub / Analysis

Filed 03/06/2025

                    Assigned to RAGE 	AS PASSED BY COW 
 
 
 
 
ARIZONA STATE SENATE 
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, First Regular Session 
 
AMENDED 
FACT SHEET FOR S.B. 1307 
 
advanced air mobility infrastructure 
Purpose 
Requires the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) to develop or upgrade a 
statewide aviation plan for advanced air mobility infrastructure. 
Background 
ADOT has exclusive control and jurisdiction over state highways, state routes, state-owned 
airports and all state-owned transportation systems or modes are vested in the department. Statute 
requires ADOT to cooperate with all state, local and federal organizations to encourage and 
advance the safe and orderly development of aviation in Arizona and allows the: 1) assembly and 
distribution of public information relating to aviation, landing fields, navigational aids and other 
matters pertaining to aviation; 2) accepting of federal monies made available for the advancement 
of aviation, the acquisition, construction, enlargement, improvement, maintenance, equipment or 
operation of airports and other air navigation facilities and sites for air navigation facilities or for 
any other purpose authorized; 3) representing of Arizona on issues of routing structures and rate 
schedules concerning commercial airline traffic; and 4) facilitating of development of a regional 
airport (A.R.S. §§ 28-332 and 28-8242). 
An aircraft operating in Arizona must conform to design, construction and airworthiness 
standards prescribed by the United States or the appropriate federal agency for the navigation of 
aircraft subject to its jurisdiction. The governing body of a city or town or the board of supervisors 
of a county may acquire, establish, construct, own, control, lease, equip, improve, maintain, 
operate and regulate airports for the use of aircraft within or outside the limits of the city, town or 
county. A board of directors must operate and govern the airport authority. The board of directors 
is composed of persons appointed by the governing body of the cities, towns, Indian tribes or 
counties that are members of the airport authority. (A.R.S. §§ 28-8272; 28-8411; and 28-8521). 
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this 
legislation. 
Provisions 
1. Requires ADOT, beginning July 1, 2026, to: 
a) through consultation with political subdivisions of Arizona that own or control an airport, 
commercial air carrier, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other relevant 
stakeholders, develop or upgrade a statewide aviation plan to include vertiports and electric 
aircraft charging stations and the infrastructure needs of advanced air mobility;  FACT SHEET – Amended  
S.B. 1307 
Page 2 
 
 
b) designate a person who has expertise in advanced air mobility within the department as a 
resource for local and regional jurisdictions that are developing or implementing advanced 
air mobility, including an electric powered lift aircraft and electric aircraft; and 
c) provide to local and regional jurisdictions a guidebook and technical resources to support 
uniform planning and zoning requirements across Arizona related to powered lift aircraft, 
vertiports, electric aircrafts and advanced air mobility.  
2. Requires the person that ADOT designates as having expertise in advanced air mobility to 
establish working relationships with political subdivisions of Arizona that own or control an 
airport, commercial air carriers, the FAA, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and 
any other relevant stakeholders. 
3. States that the vertiport and electric aviation planning requirement apply only to advanced air 
mobility, including an eCTOL, eVTOL, and a powered lift aircraft, that have both:  
a) a gross takeoff weight of 300 pounds or more; and 
b) the capability of carrying passengers or cargo.  
4. Requires the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) to provide educational material to local and 
regional jurisdictions on the benefits of electric powered lift aircrafts and advanced air 
mobility.  
5. Defines advanced air mobility as an air transportation system that primarily uses an electric 
aircraft, including eCTOL, eVTOL and powered lift aircrafts, to carry passengers or cargo in 
an urban or a regional area.  
6. Defines eCTOL as an electric conventional takeoff and landing aircraft. 
7. Defines eVTOL as an electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.  
8. Defines powered lift aircraft as a heavier-than-air aircraft that is capable of vertical takeoff, 
vertical landing and low-speed flight and that primarily uses engine-driven lift devices or 
engine thrust for lifting the aircraft during a takeoff and at least one nonrotating airfoil for 
lifting the aircraft during horizontal flight.  
9. Defines vertiport as an area of land or water or a structure that is primarily used for the takeoff 
or landing of a powered lift aircraft, including associated buildings or facilities.  
10. Becomes effective on the general effective date.  FACT SHEET – Amended  
S.B. 1307 
Page 3 
 
 
Amendments Adopted by Committee of the Whole 
1. Specifies that the vertiport and electric aviation planning requirements begin on July 1, 2026. 
2. Adds the requirement that ADOT develop or update a statewide plan for advanced air mobility 
through consultation with political subdivisions of Arizona that own or control any airport, 
commercial carriers, the FAA and any other relevant stakeholders. 
3. Specifies that the statewide aviation plan include the infrastructure needs of advanced air 
mobility, rather than advances in aviation technology. 
4. Specifies that the person designated by ADOT as having expertise in advanced air mobility 
be a resource for local and regional jurisdiction that are developing or implementing advanced 
air mobility, rather than advances in aviation technology. 
5. Requires the person designated by ADOT as having expertise in advanced air mobility to 
establish working relationships with relevant political subdivisions of Arizona that own or 
control any airport, commercial carriers, the FAA, DOT and any other relevant stakeholders. 
6. Specifies that the advanced air mobility requirements apply only to advanced air mobility 
aircrafts, rather than electric aircrafts. 
7. Removes the state preemption of local ordinances relating to advanced air mobility. 
8. Requires the ACA to provide educational materials to local and regional jurisdictions on the 
benefits of electric powered lift aircrafts and advanced air mobility. 
9. Removes the requirement for ADOT to provide educational materials to local and regional 
decision-makers on the benefits of electric powered lift aircrafts and the advancements in 
advanced air mobility. 
10. Includes, in the guidebook and technical resources that ADOT must provide to local and 
regional jurisdictions, vertiports and advanced air mobility, rather than advances in aviation 
technology. 
11. Makes technical and conforming changes. 
Senate Action 
RAGE 2/20/2025 DP 6-1-0 
Prepared by Senate Research 
February 25, 2025 
JT/JRM/ci