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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES - FLOOR VERSION
STATE OF OKLAHOMA
1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)
ENGROSSED SENATE
BILL NO. 920 By: Rosino of the Senate
and
Miller of the House
An Act relating to aerospace infrastructure; amending
3 O.S. 2021, Sections 101 and 102.1, as amended by
Section 12, Chapter 126, O.S.L. 2023 (3 O.S. Supp.
2024, Section 102.1), which relate to the Airport
Zoning Act; defining terms; requiring certain permit
for construction within certain radius of a heliport
or vertiport; amending 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), which relates to
the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics
as the clearinghouse for unmanned aircraft systems ;
granting Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and
Aeronautics certain authority; updating statutory
language; 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 other wise
requires:
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(1) 1. “Airport” means an area 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 obstructs 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 wate r
upon which an airport hazard might be established if not prevented
as provided in this act .;
(4) 4. “Heliport” means an area of land, water, or a structure
used or intended to be used for the landing and takeoff of
helicopters;
5. “Political subdivision ” means any municipality, city, town,
village, or county.;
(5) 6. “Person” means any individual, firm, copartnership,
corporation, company, associati on, 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, S ection 102.1, as
amended by Section 12, Chapter 126, O.S.L. 2023 (3 O.S. Supp. 2024,
Section 102.1), is a mended 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 authority, or in the absence of a
local airport zoning authority, the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace
and Aeronautics, a permit for the erection, alteration, o r
modification of any structure the result of which would exceed the
federal obstruction standards as con tained 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 geographical 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 military 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 t wo
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 al 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 ’ Oklahoma 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 exceeding 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 s tructures;
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2. Public and private interests and investments;
3. The character of flying operations and p lanned developments
of airports, heliports, and vertiports ;
4. Federal airways as designated by the Federal Aviation
Administration that lie within th e radii described in paragraphs 1
through 3 of subsection A of this section;
5. Whether the construction of the proposed structure would
cause an increase in the minimum descent altitude or the decision
height at the affected airport;
6. Technological ad vances;
7. The safety of persons on the ground and in the air; and
8. Land use density.
E. In order to promote 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 req uest 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 of Aerospace and Aeronautics.
SECTION 3. AMENDATORY 3 O.S. 2021, Section 421, as last
amended by Section 15, Chapter 1 35, O.S.L. 2024 (3 O.S. Supp. 2024,
Section 421), is amended to read as follows:
Section 421. A. The 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 development 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 en sure 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, agenc ies of this state, tribal
entities, municipalities , and other persons in the development of
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unmanned aircraft systems 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 established program processes or may contract with other
qualified entities to carry out the duties and responsibilities of
the Unmanned Aircraft Syste ms 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. I t will focus the collective resources,
knowledge, information , and assets within state government to ensu re
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, p ilot program or grant funding
on behalf of this state;
3. Maintain a registry of UAS being operated by s tate agencies,
except those UAS that are part of a university -affiliated research
program;
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4. Maintain a registry of educational institutions that off er
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 an d other infrastructure needed to integrate
AAM and UAS into the existing air transportation system of the
state;
6. Develop a statewide network of UAS and AAM detection systems
as necessary to support the safe integration of these technologies
into the state’s existing air transportation system; and
7. Create statewide or regional command, control, and radar
systems or centers to carry out the provisions of paragraph 6 of
this subsection and the Department ’s efforts to bring UAS and AAM
testing and development to the state. These systems or centers can
be stand-alone or in partnership with other federal, st ate, local,
tribal, or non-profit entities.
C. The Department is authorized to enter into partnerships with
any city or town of this state and any cou nty 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
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transportation system of this state as well as the testing and
development of these aeronautical technologies.
SECTION 4. This act shall become effective November 1, 2025.
COMMITTEE REPORT BY: OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT, dated - 04/17/2025 – DO PASS.