Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Oklahoma Legislature, fetched 2026-07-23. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
1 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
1
2 1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)
2
3 SENATE BILL 920 By: Rosino
3
4
4
5
5
6 AS INTRODUCED
6
7 An Act relating to aerospace infrastructure; amending
7 3 O.S. 2021, Sections 101 and 102.1, as amended by
8 Section 12, Chapter 126, O.S.L. 2023 (3 O.S. Supp.
8 2024, Section 102.1), which relate to the Airport
9 Zoning Act; defining terms; requiring certain permit
9 for construction within certain radius of a heliport
10 or vertiport; amending 3 O.S. 2021, Section 421, as
10 last amended by Section 15, Chapter 135, O.S.L. 2024
11 (3 O.S. Supp. 2024, Section 421), which relates to
11 the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics
12 as the clearinghouse for unmanned aircraft systems;
12 granting Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and
13 Aeronautics certain authority; updating statutory
13 language; and providing an effective date.
14
14
15
15
16 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
16
17 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 3 O.S. 2021, Section 101, is
17
18 amended to read as follows:
18
19 Section 101. As used in this act, unless the context otherwise
19
20 requires:
20
21 (1) 1. "Airport" means an area of land or water that is used or
21
22 intended to be used for the landing and taking off of aircraft
22
23 including its buildings and facilities, if any.;
23
24
24
Req. No. 436 Page 1
1 (2) 2. "Airport hazard" means any structure, object of natural
1
2 growth or use of land which obstructs the airspace required for the
2
3 flight of aircraft in landing or taking off at an airport or is
3
4 otherwise hazardous to such landing or taking off of aircraft.;
4
5 (3) 3. "Airport hazard area" means any area of land or water
5
6 upon which an airport hazard might be established if not prevented
6
7 as provided in this act.;
7
8 (4) 4. "Heliport" means an area of land, water, or a structure
8
9 used or intended to be used for the landing and takeoff of
9
10 helicopters;
10
11 5. "Political subdivision" means any municipality, city, town,
11
12 village, or county.;
12
13 (5) 6. "Person" means any individual, firm, copartnership,
13
14 corporation, company, association, joint stock association, or body
14
15 politic, and includes any trustee, receiver, assignee, or other
15
16 similar representative thereof.;
16
17 (6) 7. "Structure" means any object constructed or installed by
17
18 man, including, but without limitation, buildings, towers,
18
19 smokestacks, and overhead transmission lines.;
19
20 (7) 8. "Tree" means any object of natural growth.;
20
21 9. "Vertiport" means an area of land, water, or a structure
21
22 used or intended to be used for the landing and takeoff of VTOL
22
23 aircraft; and
23
24
24
Req. No. 436 Page 2
1 10. "VTOL aircraft" means an aircraft which has vertical
1
2 takeoff and landing capability.
2
3 SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 3 O.S. 2021, Section 102.1, as
3
4 amended by Section 12, Chapter 126, O.S.L. 2023 (3 O.S. Supp. 2024,
4
5 Section 102.1), is amended to read as follows:
5
6 Section 102.1. A. In order to prevent the erection of
6
7 structures dangerous to air navigation, subject to the provisions of
7
8 subsections B, C and D of this section, each person shall secure
8
9 from the local airport zoning authority, or in the absence of a
9
10 local airport zoning authority, the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace
10
11 and Aeronautics, a permit for the erection, alteration, or
11
12 modification of any structure the result of which would exceed the
12
13 federal obstruction standards as contained in 14 CFR, Part 77.
13
14 Permits from the local airport zoning authority will be required
14
15 only within an airport hazard area where federal standards are
15
16 exceeded and if the proposed construction is within:
16
17 1. A 10-nautical mile radius of the geographical center of a
17
18 publicly owned or operated airport, a military airport, or an
18
19 airport open for public use which has a published instrument
19
20 approach procedure;
20
21 2. A 6-nautical mile radius of the geographical center of a
21
22 publicly owned or operated airport, a military airport, or an
22
23 airport open for public use which has no published instrument
23
24
24
Req. No. 436 Page 3
1 approach procedure and has runways in excess of three thousand two
1
2 hundred (3,200) feet in length; or
2
3 3. A 2.5-nautical mile radius of the geographical center of a
3
4 publicly owned or operated airport, a military airport, or an
4
5 airport open for public use which has no published instrument
5
6 approach and has runways three thousand two hundred (3,200) feet or
6
7 less in length; or
7
8 4. A 1-nautical mile radius of the geographical center of a
8
9 publicly owned or operated heliport or vertiport.
9
10 B. Affected airports will be considered as having those
10
11 facilities which are programmed in the Federal Aviation
11
12 Administration's Regional Aviation System Plan or the Oklahoma
12
13 Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics' Oklahoma Airport System
13
14 Plan and will be so protected.
14
15 C. Permit requirements of subsection A of this section shall
15
16 not apply to projects which received construction permits from the
16
17 Federal Communications Commission for structures exceeding federal
17
18 obstruction standards prior to May 20, 1975; nor shall it apply to
18
19 previously approved structures now existing, or any necessary
19
20 replacement or repairs to such existing structures, so long as the
20
21 height and location is unchanged.
21
22 D. In determining whether to issue or deny a permit, the local
22
23 airport zoning authority shall consider:
23
24 1. The nature of the terrain and height of existing structures;
24
Req. No. 436 Page 4
1 2. Public and private interests and investments;
1
2 3. The character of flying operations and planned developments
2
3 of airports, heliports, and vertiports;
3
4 4. Federal airways as designated by the Federal Aviation
4
5 Administration that lie within the radii described in paragraphs 1
5
6 through 3 of subsection A of this section;
6
7 5. Whether the construction of the proposed structure would
7
8 cause an increase in the minimum descent altitude or the decision
8
9 height at the affected airport;
9
10 6. Technological advances;
10
11 7. The safety of persons on the ground and in the air; and
11
12 8. Land use density.
12
13 E. In order to promote the health, safety, and welfare of the
13
14 public and to protect persons and property by promoting safety in
14
15 aeronautics, the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics
15
16 may review any structure erected, altered, or modified since January
16
17 1, 1996, in which no permit was secured from the local airport
17
18 zoning authority because of the absence of a local airport
18
19 authority. The Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics
19
20 shall determine whether such structures meet the requirements set
20
21 forth in this section. If the structures do not meet the
21
22 requirements as set forth in this section, the Oklahoma Department
22
23 of Aerospace and Aeronautics may request the owners of such
23
24 structure to make any necessary modifications to protect the health,
24
Req. No. 436 Page 5
1 safety, and welfare of the public, including, but not limited to,
1
2 altering, marking, mapping, or identifying such structure. The
2
3 Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics may assist the
3
4 owner of such structure in any manner deemed feasible by the
4
5 Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics.
5
6 SECTION 3. AMENDATORY 3 O.S. 2021, Section 421, as last
6
7 amended by Section 15, Chapter 135, O.S.L. 2024 (3 O.S. Supp. 2024,
7
8 Section 421), is amended to read as follows:
8
9 Section 421. A. The Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and
9
10 Aeronautics is hereby established as the clearinghouse for unmanned
10
11 aircraft systems (UAS) and advanced air mobility (AAM) in this state
11
12 and shall be designated as the agency of this state for the
12
13 promotion, enhancement, and development of UAS and AAM as well as
13
14 any associated infrastructure necessary to ensure the safe
14
15 integration and use of this new technology within the state. The
15
16 purpose of this clearinghouse is to create a partnership between
16
17 those entities that currently operate UAS, those that desire to use
17
18 this technology in the future and other entities that can support
18
19 the research and development of UAS to ensure that this state can
19
20 more effectively respond to the needs of this critical sector of the
20
21 aviation and aerospace industry. In the operation of this
21
22 clearinghouse, the Department shall cooperate, assist and coordinate
22
23 with the federal government, agencies of this state, tribal
23
24 entities, municipalities, and other persons in the development of
24
Req. No. 436 Page 6
1 unmanned aircraft systems throughout the state to ensure the
1
2 acceptance of this technology and the successful integration of UAS
2
3 into the National Airspace System. Contingent upon the availability
3
4 of funds, the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics may
4
5 use established program processes or may contract with other
5
6 qualified entities to carry out the duties and responsibilities of
6
7 the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Development Act of 2021.
7
8 B. The primary goal of the clearinghouse within the Department
8
9 is to establish a central point within state government to develop
9
10 and implement the strategy for how this state can become a leader in
10
11 the UAS and AAM industry. It will focus the collective resources,
11
12 knowledge, information, and assets within state government to ensure
12
13 coordinated efforts amongst all parties. The clearinghouse will
13
14 have the authority to:
14
15 1. Conduct research on what other states and localities are
15
16 doing insofar as their UAS rules and regulations so that it can
16
17 provide recommendations to ensure this state is in the best position
17
18 within the industry;
18
19 2. Organize and coordinate the application for any UAS and AAM
19
20 test site, integration opportunity, pilot program or grant funding
20
21 on behalf of this state;
21
22 3. Maintain a registry of UAS being operated by state agencies,
22
23 except those UAS that are part of a university-affiliated research
23
24 program;
24
Req. No. 436 Page 7
1 4. Maintain a registry of educational institutions that offer
1
2 training programs for users of UAS; and
2
3 5. Investigate the development of, and if necessary, create a
3
4 statewide system plan that will provide the framework for the
4
5 construction, development, siting, and potential partnerships
5
6 required for vertiports and other infrastructure needed to integrate
6
7 AAM and UAS into the existing air transportation system of the
7
8 state;
8
9 6. Develop a statewide network of UAS and AAM detection systems
9
10 as necessary to support the safe integration of these technologies
10
11 into the state's existing air transportation system; and
11
12 7. Create statewide or regional command, control, and radar
12
13 systems or centers to carry out the provisions of paragraph 6 of
13
14 this subsection and the Department's efforts to bring UAS and AAM
14
15 testing and development to the state. These systems or centers can
15
16 be stand-alone or in partnership with other federal, state, local,
16
17 tribal, or non-profit entities.
17
18 C. The Department is authorized to enter into partnerships with
18
19 any city or town of this state and any county or political
19
20 subdivision or district in this state, or any public trust thereof,
20
21 or any federal government entity for the purpose of investing in and
21
22 operating infrastructure and any other items necessary to safely and
22
23 effectively integrate AAM and UAS into the existing air
23
24
24
Req. No. 436 Page 8
1 transportation system of this state as well as the testing and
1
2 development of these aeronautical technologies.
2
3 SECTION 4. This act shall become effective November 1, 2025.
3
4
4
5 60-1-436 MSBB 1/19/2025 5:46:01 AM
5
6
6
7
7
8
8
9
9
10
10
11
11
12
12
13
13
14
14
15
15
16
16
17
17
18
18
19
19
20
20
21
21
22
22
23
23
24
24
Req. No. 436 Page 9Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.