The Iowa Department of Transportation Office of Aviation reports that the 2019 legislative session, which wrapped up last Saturday (April 27), has been good to aviation. While the State Aviation Fund continues to direct aviation fuel taxes and aircraft registration fees to airport development and safety programs, funding for vertical infrastructure projects like airport terminals and aircraft hangars was increased from previous levels.
House File 765 increased FY2020 Commercial Service Vertical Infrastructure funding from $1.5M to $1.9M. It also increased General Aviation Vertical Infrastructure funding from $700K to $1M. With the funding increase came shorter timelines to get projects completed, a signal from lawmakers to get projects completed! HF765 awaits signature from the governor.
House File 390 was a bill that’s friendly to aircraft owners. It removes references to requiring aircraft owners to return paper aircraft registration certificates to the Iowa DOT when aircraft are sold, or refunds are requested. It also paves the way in the future for aircraft owners who prefer to fully manage their aircraft registration requirements in an online environment. The requirement for aircraft owners to carry a paper aircraft registration certificate in their airplane was already removed in previous legislative sessions. HF390 was already signed by Governor Reynolds on April 15.
