BILL ANALYSIS
AJR 33
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 12, 2010
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION
Bonnie Lowenthal, Chair
AJR 33 (Fuller) - As Introduced: February 17, 2010
SUBJECT : General Aviation
SUMMARY : Memorializes the President and Congress of the United
States to recognize the vital role general aviation plays in the
economy, health, safety, and protection of the nation, and
abstain from legislation and policies that impact this
industry's ability to continue to function effectively.
Further, the resolution makes findings and statements indicating
that:
1)General aviation in America supports more than 1.2 million
jobs, many of them in small and medium-sized businesses, and
generates $150 billion in economic activity. Many of the
5,200 general aviation airports in the county are located
within businesses and communities that drive the economy.
2)Private aircraft help businesses create and maintain jobs and
are used by law enforcement, medical professionals, disaster
relief personnel, and others to reach people in need. Private
aircraft have been mistakenly characterized as "toys for the
rich," rather than as vital tools that allow business to
operate and thrive.
3)Researchers use general aviation aircraft to gather data and
map terrain in efforts to help governments, businesses, and
nongovernmental organizations improve and protect the quality
of life.
4)The nation's agriculture industry uses general aviation to
provide worldwide food and clothing and its public utilities
use the aircraft to build and maintain infrastructure.
5)General aviation faces challenges from a federal budget
proposal that would impose costly new user fees and
dramatically increase taxes; and insufficient federal funding
imposes challenges on the ability of general aviation
operators to operate effectively.
6)General aviation faces increasing and onerous security
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regulations; and land use urbanization pressures contribute to
reducing the number and availability of airports throughout
California and the United States.
EXISTING FEDERAL LAW :
1)Establishes the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that
controls all of the nation's airspace, operates the air
traffic control system, develops and enforces certification
standards for all aircraft, pilots, flight crews and
mechanics, administers an ongoing aviation safety program,
develops standards for the construction of airports and
heliports, and inspects commercial service airports to ensure
compliance with FAA safety regulations.
2)Establishes the federal airport and airway trust fund (trust
fund) that is supported from a variety of sources including
7.5% surcharge on airline tickets (plus a segment fee), 6.25%
surcharge on air cargo, 19.3
per gallon aviation gas, 18.3
� per gallon non-commercial jet fuel, and fees for international
arrivals and departures. Commercial airlines pay 4.3
per � gallon on jet fuel to the trust fund. The trust fund provides
funding for commercial and general aviation airport grants,
operations, capital improvements, and research and
development.
3)Establishes the Department of Homeland Security and the
Transportation Security Administration to, among its other
charges, develop a "dynamic, threat-based aviation security
system covering all passengers traveling by air to the United
States while focusing security measures in a more effective
and efficient manner to ensure the safety and security of the
traveling public."
FISCAL EFFECT : None
COMMENTS : General aviation is one of the two categories of
civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military
and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private
and commercial. Basically, general aviation includes both
non-scheduled commercial operations and private operations, with
aircraft of many different types and sizes, and pilots with a
variety of different training and experience levels. General
aviation airports range from small rural facilities that have
only a few resident aircraft to large general aviation airports
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that accommodate hundreds of corporate aircraft and thousands of
tons of cargo.
Of the more than 18,000 general aviation airports in the nation,
only 2,806 qualify for federal Airport Improvement Program
grants. These grants are awarded by FAA and funded through the
trust fund. The trust fund is supported primarily by revenues
from ticket and cargo surcharges as well as federal excise taxes
on aviation and jet fuels. Portions of these revenues are
allocated to general aviation airports to fund their capital
improvement and safety projects.
Furthermore, the federal Department of Homeland Security and the
Transportation Security Administration are entrusted to protect
the nation from potential terrorist attacks and to develop a
"dynamic, threat-based aviation security system."
The author's office contends that general aviation airports
serve the nation's needs through a variety of venues as
identified in the resolution's statements. While recognizing
the value general aviation airports provide the nation, the
author's resolution requests the federal government "to abstain
from legislation and policies that impact this industry's
ability to continue to function effectively."
Committee concerns : The resolution contends that "general
aviation faces challenges from a federal budget proposal that
would impose costly new user fees and dramatically increase
taxes" while admitting that "insufficient funding of FAA
operations and airport and airspace infrastructure imposes
challenges on the ability of general aviation operators to
operate effectively." Accordingly, in order to adequately fund,
build, and preserve the general aviation infrastructure, the
federal government should be able to explore all revenue
generating options, including the consideration of new user fees
or tax increases. The resolution exerts pressure from the
Legislature to preclude the consideration of these options as
revenue sources, despite the measure's contention that current
funding for airport infrastructure is "insufficient."
Secondly, the resolution declares that "general aviation faces
increasing and onerous security regulations." (bold added as
emphasis) The Department of Homeland Security and the
Transportation Security Administration are working to
"strengthen the safety and security of all
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passengers-superseding the emergency measures put in place
immediately following the attempted terrorist attack on Dec. 25,
2009." Currently, these two entities are working to strengthen
general aviation security to "further minimize the vulnerability
of general aviation aircraft flights being used to deliver
illicit materials, transport dangerous individuals or employ
aircraft as a weapon." Accordingly, should the Legislature be
critical of the security regulations proposed or adopted by the
federal entities entrusted to protect its citizens, including
all Californians, and to characterize such regulations as
"onerous"?
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
Association of California Airports
California Pilots Association
Mojave Chamber of Commerce
Mojave Transportation Museum Foundation
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by : Ed Imai / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093