Oklahoma 2025 2025 Regular Session

Oklahoma House Bill HB2266 Amended / Bill

Filed 04/15/2025

                     
 
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SENATE FLOOR VERSION 
April 14, 2025 
AS AMENDED 
 
ENGROSSED HOUSE 
BILL NO. 2266 	By: Miller and Menz of the 
House 
 
  and 
 
  Rosino of the Senate 
 
 
 
 
 
An Act relating to aerospace; amending 3 O.S. 2021, 
Section 101, which relates to definitions; defining 
terms; amending 3 O.S. 2021, Section 102.1, as 
amended by Section 12, Chapter 126, O.S.L. 2023 (3 
O.S. Supp. 2024, Section 102.1), which relates to 
permits for erection, alteration , or modification of 
certain structures; modifying list requiring certain 
permit; requiring certain airports be included in 
statewide airport system plan; modifying certain list 
of considerations; amending 3 O.S. 2021, Section 4 21, 
as last amended by Section 15, Chapter 135, O.S.L. 
2024 (3 O.S. Supp. 2024, Section 421), which relates 
to Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics 
established as clearinghouse for unmanned aircraft 
systems; requiring implementation of certain 
strategy; authorizing certain actions; authorizing 
certain partnerships; and providing an effective 
date. 
 
 
 
 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: 
SECTION 1.     AMENDATORY     3 O.S. 2021, Section 101, is 
amended to read as follows: 
Section 101.  As used in this act, unless the context otherwise 
requires:   
 
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(1) 1. "Airport" means an are a of land or water that is used or 
intended to be used for the landing and taking off of aircraft 
including its buildings and facilities, if any .; 
(2) 2. "Airport hazard" means any structure, object of natural 
growth or use of land which obstr ucts the airspace required for the 
flight of aircraft in landing or taking off at an airport or is 
otherwise hazardous to such landing or taking off of aircraft .; 
(3) 3.  "Airport hazard area" means any area of land or water 
upon which an airport hazard might be estab lished if not prevented 
as provided in this act .; 
(4) 4.  "Heliport" means an area of land, water , or structure 
used or intended to be used for the landing and takeoff of 
helicopters and includes its buildings and facilities ; 
5. "Political subdivision" means any municipality, city, town, 
village, or county.; 
(5) 6. "Person" means any individual, firm, copartnership, 
corporation, company, association, joint stock association, or body 
politic, and includes any trustee, receiver, assignee, or other 
similar representative thereof .; 
(6) 7. "Structure" means any object constructed or installed by 
man, including, but without limitation, buildings, towers, 
smokestacks, and overhead transmission lines .; 
(7) 8. "Tree" means any object of natural growth .; and   
 
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9.  "VTOL aircraft" means an aircraft which has vertical takeoff 
and landing capability. 
SECTION 2.     AMENDATORY     3 O.S. 2021, Section 102.1, as 
amended by Section 12, Chapter 126, O.S.L. 2023 (3 O.S. Supp. 2024, 
Section 102.1), is amende d to read as follows: 
Section 102.1.  A.  In order to prevent the erection of 
structures dangerous to air navigation, subject to the provisions of 
subsections B, C and D of this section, each person shall secure 
from the local airport zoning au thority, or in the absence of a 
local airport zoning authority, the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace 
and Aeronautics, a permit for the erection, alteration, or 
modification of any structure the result of which would exceed the 
federal obstruction standards as containe d in 14 CFR, Part 77.  
Permits from the local airport zoning authority will be required 
only within an airport hazard area where federal standards are 
exceeded and if the proposed construction is within: 
1.  A 10-nautical mile radius of the geo graphical center of a 
publicly owned or operated airport, a military airport, or an 
airport open for public use which has a published instrument 
approach procedure; 
2.  A 6-nautical mile radius of the geographical center of a 
publicly owned or operated airport, a mili tary airport, or an 
airport open for public use which has no published instrument   
 
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approach procedure and has runways in excess of three thousand two 
hundred (3,200) feet in length; or 
3.  A 2.5-nautical mile radius of the geographical center of a 
publicly owned or operated airport, a military airport, or an 
airport open for public use which has no published instrument 
approach and has runways three thousand two hundred (3,200) feet or 
less in length; or 
4.  A 1-nautical mile radius of the geographic center of a 
publicly owned or operated heliport or vertiport . 
B.  Affected airports will be considered as having those 
facilities which are programmed in the Federal Aviation 
Administration’s Regional Aviation System Plan or the Oklahoma 
Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics’ statewide airport system 
plan and will be so protected. 
C.  Permit requirements of subsection A of this section shall 
not apply to projects which received construction permits from the 
Federal Communications Commission for structures exceed ing federal 
obstruction standards prior to May 20, 1975; nor shall it apply to 
previously approved structures now existing, or any necessary 
replacement or repairs to such existing structures, so long as the 
height and location is unchanged. 
D. In determining whether to issue or deny a permit, the local 
airport zoning authority shall consider: 
1.  The nature of the terrain and height of existing structures;   
 
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2.  Public and private interests and investments; 
3.  The character of flying operations and planned developments 
of airports, vertiports, and heliports ; 
4.  Federal airways as designated by the Federal Aviation 
Administration that lie within the radii described in paragraphs 1 
through 3 of subsection A of this section; 
5.  Whether the constr uction of the proposed structure would 
cause an increase in the minimum descent altitude or the decision 
height at the affected airport; 
6.  Technological advances; 
7.  The safety of persons on the ground and in the air; and 
8.  Land use density. 
E.  In order to promo te the health, safety and welfare of the 
public and to protect persons and property by promoting safety in 
aeronautics, the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics 
may review any structure erected, altered, or modified since January 
1, 1996, in which no permit was secured from the local airport 
zoning authority because of the absence of a local airport 
authority.  The Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics 
shall determine whether such structures meet the requirements set 
forth in this section.  If the structures do not meet the 
requirements as set forth in this section, the Oklahoma Department 
of Aerospace and Aeronautics may request the owners of such 
structure to make any necessary modifications to protect the health,   
 
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safety and welfare of the public, including, but not limited to, 
altering, marking, mapping, or identifying such structure.  The 
Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics may assist the 
owner of such structure in any manner deemed feasible by the 
Oklahoma Department o f Aerospace and Aeronautics. 
SECTION 3.     AMENDATORY     3 O.S. 2021, Section 421, as last 
amended by Section 15, Chapter 135, O.S.L. 2024 (3 O.S. Supp. 2024, 
Section 421), is amended to read as follows: 
Section 421.  A.  Th e Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and 
Aeronautics is hereby established as the clearinghouse for unmanned 
aircraft systems (UAS) and advanced air mobility (AAM) in this state 
and shall be designated as the agency of this state for the 
promotion, enhancement and devel opment of UAS and AAM as well as any 
associated infrastructure necessary to ensure the safe integration 
and use of this new technology within the state.  The purpose of 
this clearinghouse is to create a partnership between those entities 
that currently operate UAS, those that desire to use this technology 
in the future and other entities that can support the research and 
development of UAS to ensure that this state can more effectively 
respond to the needs of this critical sector of the aviation and 
aerospace industry.  In the operation of this clearinghouse, the 
Department shall cooperate, assist and coordinate with the federal 
government, agencies of this state, tribal entities, municipalities 
and other persons in the development of unmanned ai rcraft systems   
 
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throughout the state to ensure the acceptance of this technology and 
the successful integration of UAS into the National Airspace System.  
Contingent upon the availability of funds, the Oklahoma Department 
of Aerospace and Aeronautics may use establishe d program processes 
or may contract with other qualified entities to carry out the 
duties and responsibilities of the Unmanned Aircraft Systems 
Development Act of 2021. 
B.  The primary goal of the clearinghouse within the Department 
is to establish a central point within state government to develop 
and implement the strategy for how this state can become a leader in 
the UAS and AAM industry.  It will focus the collective resources, 
knowledge, information and assets within state government to ensure 
coordinated efforts amongst all parties.  The clearinghouse will 
have the authority to : 
1.  Conduct research on what other states and localities are 
doing insofar as their UAS rules and regulations so that it can 
provide recommendations to ensure this state is in the best position 
within the industry; 
2.  Organize and coordinate the application for any UAS and AAM 
test site, integration opportunity, pilot program or grant funding 
on behalf of this state; 
3.  Maintain a registry of UAS being operated by state agenci es, 
except those UAS that are part of a university -affiliated research 
program;   
 
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4.  Maintain a registry of educational institutions that offer 
training programs for users of UAS; and 
5.  Investigate the development of, and if necessary, create a 
statewide system plan that will provide the framework for the 
construction, development, siting, and potential partnerships 
required for vertiports and other infrastructure needed to integrate 
AAM and UAS into the existing air transportation system of the 
state; 
6.  Develop a statewide network of UAS/AAM detection systems as 
necessary to support the safe integration of these new technologies 
into the state’s existing air transportation system; and 
7.  Create statewide or regional command/control and radar 
systems or centers to support paragraph 6 of this subsection and the 
Department's efforts to bring UAS/AAM testing and development to the 
state.  These systems or centers can be standalone or in partnership 
with other federal, state, local, tribal, or nonprofit entit ies. 
C.  The Department is authorized to enter into partnerships with 
any city or town of this state and, any county or political 
subdivision or district in this state, or any public trust thereof, 
or any federal government entity for the purpose of investing in and 
operating infrastructure and any other items necessary to safely and 
effectively integrate AAM and UAS into the existing air 
transportation system of this state as well as the testing and 
development of these aeronautical technologies.   
 
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SECTION 4.  This act shall become effective November 1, 2025. 
COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON AERONAUTICS AND TRANSPORTATION 
April 14, 2025 - DO PASS AS AMENDED