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1A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION continuing the work of the Air Mobility and
2 Aviation Economic Development Task Force by establishing the Aviation Economic
3 Development Task Force.
4WHEREAS, the Legislative Research Commission established the Air Mobility and
5 Aviation Economic Development Task Force during the 2025 Interim to study and make
6 recommendations regarding the aviation industry and emerging technologies; and
7WHEREAS, the task force met six times and discussed various topics related to
8 aviation, including the operation of commercial and general aviation airports, the aviation
9 operations of the Kentucky Air National Guard and the Kentucky Army National Guard,
10 aviation education and community outreach, alternative aviation fuels, and advanced air
11 mobility (AAM); and
12WHEREAS, the task force found that aviation is a major industry due to the
13 Commonwealth's strategic location and is critically important for the economy of the
14 Commonwealth and nation as a whole; and
15WHEREAS, the task force heard from aviation education programs at Eastern
16 Kentucky University (EKU) and the Bluegrass Community and Technical College
17 systems, which continue to provide critical labor force development for pilots, aircraft
18 mechanic technicians, airport administrators, and, one day, air traffic controllers with an
19 opportunity to start a Federal Aviation Administration Air Traffic Collegiate Training
20 Initiative at EKU; and
21WHEREAS, the task force learned that airports and air carriers have a growing
22 need for a skilled workforce, with shortages in pilots, aircraft mechanics, and other
23 skilled technical positions; and
24WHEREAS, the task force discovered that the Commonwealth has gaps in critical
25 infrastructure that support the needs of airports that include electricity, data storage, and
26 fuel production; and
27WHEREAS, the task force identified that advanced air mobility is the future of the
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1 aerospace industry and it will bring innovation to emergency medical transportation,
2 cargo logistics efficiency, and passenger transportation; and
3WHEREAS, the task force barely scratched the surface on the immense topic of the
4 aviation industry, AAM, and the future infrastructure needs to fully implement AAM
5 technology; and
6WHEREAS, the Commonwealth lags behind other states and needs to develop a
7 strategic legislative plan for the use and regulation of AAM vehicles and infrastructure;
8NOW, THEREFORE,
9 Be it resolved by the Senate of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of
10 Kentucky, the House of Representatives concurring therein:
11Section 1.        The Legislative Research Commission is hereby directed to
12 reestablish the Aviation Economic Development Task Force. The task force shall
13 continue to study and make recommendations regarding:
14 (1)    Innovations in aviation, particularly in the AAM sector, which may impact the
15short-term and long-term air travel needs of Kentucky residents and businesses to
16promote flexibility and accessibility in interstate and intrastate mobility;
17 (2)    Actions other states are taking to support the development of the AAM industry and
18the companies providing these services;
19 (3)    Kentucky's strengths, challenges, and opportunities, as well as industry trends, for
20attracting additional aviation and aerospace-related economic development; and
21 (4)    Actions and policies the state should consider in order to support aviation growth
22and aviation-related economic development in Kentucky.
23Section 2. The Aviation Economic Development Task Force shall be composed
24 of the following members, with final membership of the task force being subject to the
25 consideration and approval of the Legislative Research Commission:
26(1)     Four members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of
27 the House of Representatives, one of whom shall be a member of the minority party, and
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1 one of whom shall be designated by the Speaker of the House of Representatives as a co-
2 chair of the task force; and
3(2)     Four members of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate, one of
4 whom shall be a member of the minority party, and one of whom shall be designated by
5 the President of the Senate as a co-chair of the task force.
6Section 3. The Aviation Economic Development Task Force shall meet at least
7 four times during the 2026 Interim and shall submit its findings, legislative
8 recommendations, or a memorandum to the Legislative Research Commission no later
9 than December 1, 2026. If legislative recommendations are submitted, the Legislative
10 Research Commission may refer the recommendations to the appropriate committee or
11 committees of jurisdiction in advance of the 2027 Regular Session of the Kentucky
12 General Assembly.
13Section 4. Provisions of this resolution to the contrary notwithstanding, the
14 Legislative Research Commission shall have the authority to alternatively assign the
15 issues identified herein to an intern joint committee or subcommittee thereof, and to
16 designate a study completion date.
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