Improving Helicopter Safety Act of 2025 in plain language
1: Short title
This section would let the Act be cited as the Improving Helicopter Safety Act of 2025.
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1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Improving Helicopter Safety Act of 2025 .
2: Prohibition on helicopter flights near Statue of Liberty National Monument
This section would add a new section 44749 to chapter 447 of title 49, United States Code. Starting not later than 60 days after this Act becomes law, no person could operate a civil helicopter in covered airspace, except for flights that fall under one of two listed exceptions. The first exception covers flights carried out for public health and safety purposes, including law enforcement, emergency response, disaster response, the provision of medical services, and other services for the benefit of the general public, including flights carried out for research or for official purposes by a news organization. The second exception covers flights carried out for heavy-lift operations in support of construction and infrastructure maintenance. Covered airspace would be defined as the airspace within a 20-mile radius of the Statue of Liberty National Monument. This section would also add a matching entry to the table of sections for chapter 447 of title 49 to list the new section 44749.
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2. Prohibition on helicopter flights near Statue of Liberty National Monument (a) In general Chapter 447 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: 44749. Prohibition on helicopter flights near Statue of Liberty National Monument (a) In general Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this section, no person may operate a civil helicopter in covered airspace except as provided for under subsection (b). (b) Exceptions (1) Public health and safety The prohibition in subsection (a) shall not apply to a flight carried out for purposes of public health and safety, including— (A) law enforcement; (B) emergency response; (C) disaster response; (D) the provision of medical services; and (E) providing other services for the benefit of the general public, including flights carried out for research or for official purposes by a news organization. (2) Infrastructure maintenance The prohibition in subsection (a) shall not apply to a flight carried out for purposes heavy-lift operations in support of construction and infrastructure maintenance. (c) Covered airspace defined In this section, the term covered airspace means the airspace within a 20-mile radius of the Statue of Liberty National Monument. . (b) Conforming amendment The table of sections for chapter 447 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: 44749. Prohibition on helicopter flights near Statue of Liberty National Monument. .
3: Helicopter flight routes near Statue of Liberty National Monument
This section would require the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, not later than 90 days after this Act becomes law, to issue or update the regulations necessary to carry out the requirements of section 2.
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3. Helicopter flight routes near Statue of Liberty National Monument Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall issue or update such regulations as are necessary to carry out the requirements of section 2.