House committee OKs bill to help vertiports take off in Florida

The House Ways and Means Committee approved a bill to grant legal protections to some vertiports being developed in Florida and also give financial incentives for the new industry that’s trying to take off in Florida, including allowing the state to fully pay for some private vertiports.

The committee backed HB 1903 with a 18-0 unanimous vote Monday despite some concerns raised.

Bill sponsor Rep. Leonard Spencer said his legislation was “about economic competitiveness, workforce growth, and making sure that Florida leads in this next phase of aviation.”

The bill would allow the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to pay for 100% of a public or private vertiport if no federal money available. With federal funds, FDOT could fund up to 80% of the nonfederal share of the project, the bill added.

The Revenue Estimating Conference has not determined how much the bill, which would take effect July 1, would cost the state or local governments.

According to House analysis, the bill also would protect private vertiport operators located at airports with the same sovereign immunity that public airport operators currently have.

“We’re hoping to continue to evolve that language to a place where it is protective of all Floridians as well as encouraging to this industry,” said Florida Justice Association Director Laura Youmas, who warned it was a new industry and that the immunity provision could create problems.

In addition, the state would be in charge of regulating electric aircraft charging  stations, the vertiport design and other issues although local land use and zoning authority and “reasonable noise compatibility ordinances” would still apply as long as the the “local regulations do not effectively prohibit the operation of advanced air mobility aircraft authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA),” the bill said.

“This bill also ensures regulatory consistency, so companies are not navigating a patchwork of local technical rules, while preserving local land-use, and zoning authority,” Leonard said.

FDOT would also be required to create vertiports rules and regulations to coordinate with the FAA and local governments.

The committee approved an amendment Monday that stripped a sales tax exemption previously included in the bill language.

Leonard said the advanced air mobility extends beyond just flying taxis and could be used for medical purposes, cargo, disaster response as well as boost underutilized rural airports.

“Advanced air mobility is moving from testing to deployment,” said Leonard, a Gotha Democrat. “In states that put the right policies in place now, we’ll capture the jobs, capital investment, and innovation that come along with it. This bill ensures Florida is leading other states in this growing industry.”

State transportation officials previously said “flying cars” carrying passengers could be coming to Florida in late 2027 or 2028.

Leonard’s district in Orange and Osceola counties would likely benefit from the new technology on the horizon.

The Interstate 4 corridor has been listed as the first priority in developing the statewide aerial network, state officials said last month at a House subcommittee hearing.

A similar Senate bill (SB 1362) is scheduled to be heard Tuesday in front of the Senate Transportation Committee, which is its first committee stop.