SB 236

General Assembly  Substitute Bill No. 236
   February Session, 2026
 AN ACT IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE
 CONNECTICUT AIRPORT AUTHORITY REGARDING THE LICENSURE
 AND REGISTRATION OF AIRPORTS AND OTHER AIR NAVIGATION
 FACILITIES.
 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
 Assembly convened:
1Section 1. Section 13b-46 of the general statutes is repealed and the
2    following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026):
3      (a) The executive director may approve airports, heliports, vertiports,
4   restricted landing areas and other air navigation facilities. Any
5   municipality or person acquiring property for the purpose of
6   constructing or establishing an airport, heliport, vertiport or restricted
7   landing area shall, prior to such acquisition, apply to the executive
8   director for a certificate of approval of the site selected and the general
9   purpose or purposes for which the property is to be acquired, to ensure
10   that the property and its use shall conform to minimum standards of
11   safety and shall serve the public interest. Any proposed airport,
12   heliport, vertiport, restricted landing area or other air navigation facility
13   at which more than thirty-six landings and takeoffs are expected to be
14   made by aircraft in any year shall be approved by the executive director
15   before it shall be licensed to be used or operated. The executive director
16   shall make no charge for approval certificates of proposed property
17   acquisition for airport, heliport, vertiport or restricted landing area
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18 purposes.
19    (b) The executive director may (1) license [airports, heliports,
20 vertiports, restricted landing areas and other air navigation facilities]
21 any airport, heliport, vertiport, restricted landing area and other air
22 navigation facility at which more than thirty-six landings and takeoffs
23 are expected to be made by aircraft in any year, and (2) renew such
24 licenses. When a certificate of approval of an airport, heliport, vertiport,
25 [or] restricted landing area or other air navigation facility has been
26 issued by the executive director, the executive director may grant a
27 license for operation and use. On and after [July 1, 1995] October 1, 2026,
28 the executive director shall charge a fee of [one hundred fifty] three
29 hundred dollars for each license or renewal thereof. Each such license
30 shall be effective for a period of three years from the date of issuance.
31 Each licensee shall certify, on a form provided by the executive director,
32 that the licensed facility shall comply with all applicable federal, state
33 and local laws and regulations during the license period. Municipalities
34 shall be exempt from the payment of any license fee in connection with
35 airports owned or operated by such municipalities.
36    (c) The executive director may (1) register any airport, heliport,
37 vertiport, restricted landing area or other air navigation facility at which
38 thirty-six or fewer landings and takeoffs are expected to be made by
39 aircraft in any year, and (2) renew such registrations. On and after
40 October 1, 2026, the executive director shall charge a fee of one hundred
41 dollars for each registration or renewal thereof. Each such registration
42 shall be effective for a period of three years from the date of issuance.
43 Each registrant shall certify, on a form provided by the executive
44 director, (A) that the registered facility shall comply with all applicable
45 federal, state and local laws and regulations during the registration
46 period, and (B) that there will be thirty-six or fewer landings and
47 takeoffs by aircraft at such facility in any year during the registration
48 period. Any airport, heliport, vertiport, restricted landing area or other
49 air navigation facility at which thirty-six or fewer landings and takeoffs
50 are expected to be made by aircraft in any year shall be registered with
51 the executive director pursuant to this subsection before it is to be used
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52 or operated. Municipalities shall be exempt from the payment of any
53 registration fee in connection with airports owned or operated by such
54 municipalities.
55    [(c)] (d) No municipality or officer or employee thereof and no person
56 shall operate an airport, heliport, vertiport, restricted landing area or
57 other air navigation facility for which approval has not been granted,
58 and a license has not been issued, by the executive director in
59 accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this section or
60 registration has not been issued by the executive director in accordance
61 with the provisions of subsection (c) of this section. The provisions of
62 this section shall not apply to any airport, heliport, vertiport, restricted
63 landing area or other air navigation facility owned by the federal
64 government within this state. Any person who violates the provisions
65 of this subsection shall be guilty of a class C misdemeanor.
66    [(d)] (e) Any heliport in operation prior to October 1, 1985, shall be
67 deemed licensed for operation and use and the executive director shall
68 issue an original license for any such heliport upon the written request
69 of the person who controls and operates such heliport. Such heliports
70 shall be subject to the provisions of this chapter concerning the renewal
71 or revocation of licenses, inspection and review of air navigation
72 facilities and any other provision of this chapter except those concerning
73 the initial approval or licensing of such facilities. Such heliports shall be
74 subject to any rule or procedure adopted by the authority in accordance
75 with the provisions of this chapter except those concerning the initial
76 approval or licensing of any air navigation facility.
  This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
  sections:
  Section 1      October 1, 2026  13b-46
 TRA  Joint Favorable Subst.
 JUD  Joint Favorable
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