vertiports; design; zoning

Plain English Breakdown

The effective date is listed as the general effective date in the bill, but a specific calendar date is not provided in the source material.

SB1819: Rules for Vertiports and Electric Aircraft Charging

This law requires the Arizona Department of Transportation to plan for public vertiports and charging stations, allows local governments to set locations after federal approval, and mandates public bidding for building these facilities.

What This Bill Does

• Requires ADOT to create or update a statewide aviation plan that includes public vertiports and electric aircraft charging stations starting September 1, 2026.
• Directs ADOT to name an expert in advanced air mobility within the department to help local governments with planning and implementation.
• Allows cities and counties to decide where public and private vertiports and charging stations will be located after the Federal Aviation Administration approves the layout plan.
• Requires that all projects for public vertiports, electric aircraft charging stations, or related infrastructure go out for public bid without favoring current owners.

Who It Names or Affects

• The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT)
• Local and regional governments such as cities and counties
• Owners or operators of existing public vertiports

Terms To Know

Vertiport

An area of land, water, or a structure primarily used for the takeoff or landing of powered lift aircraft.

Advanced air mobility

Transportation needs involving electric and powered lift aircraft.

Limits and Unknowns

• Local governments must follow federal safety laws from the FAA and U.S. Department of Transportation before establishing locations.
• The law does not specify a date when it becomes effective beyond stating it follows the general effective date for legislation.
• There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.

Official Summary Text

SB1819 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet

Assigned to
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COMMITTEE

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session

FACT SHEET FOR
S.B. 1819

vertiports; design;
zoning

Purpose

Requires each public vertiport or electric aircraft charging station and
any separate infrastructure project for advanced air mobility to open for
public bid with no preference given to existing public vertiport owners or
operators.

Background

Beginning September 1, 2026, the Arizona Department of Transportation
(ADOT) must consult with stakeholders to develop a plan or update the statewide
aviation plan to include public vertiports and electric aircraft charging
stations and the infrastructure needs of advanced air mobility. ADOT must
designate a person with expertise in advanced air mobility within ADOT as a
resource for local and regional jurisdictions that are developing or
implementing advanced air mobility.

A political subdivision, in compliance with federal law, including laws
that apply to the Federal Aviation Administration's and the U.S. Department of
Transportation's safety standards, may establish the location of public and
private vertiports, electric aircraft charging stations and the infrastructure
needs of advanced air mobility (
A.R.S.
� 28-8602
).

A
vertiport
is an area of land or water or a structure that is
primarily used for the takeoff or landing of a powered lift aircraft, including
associated buildings or facilities (
A.R.S.
� 28-8601
).

There is no
anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.

Provisions

1.

Requires
each public vertiport or electric aircraft charging station and any separate
infrastructure project for advanced air mobility to be open for public bid with
no preference given to existing public vertiport owners or operators.

2.

Specifies
that a political subdivision may establish the location of public and private
vertiports and electric aircraft charging stations and the infrastructure needs
of advanced air mobility after approval of the vertiport layout plan by the
Federal Aviation Administration.

3.

Makes
technical changes.

4.

Becomes
effective on the general effective date.

Prepared by Senate Research

February 19, 2026

LMM/ci

Current Bill Text

SB1819 - 572R - I Ver

REFERENCE TITLE:
vertiports; design; zoning

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

SB 1819

Introduced by

Senator
Farnsworth

AN
ACT

Amending SECTION 28-8602, Arizona Revised
Statutes; relating to vertiports.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Section 28-8602, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE
28-8602.

Vertiport and
electric aviation planning

A. Beginning September 1, 2026, the department
shall:

1. Through consultation with political subdivisions
of this state that own or control a public airport, commercial air carriers,
the federal aviation administration and any other relevant stakeholders, develop
a statewide plan or update the statewide aviation plan to include public
vertiports and electric aircraft charging stations and the infrastructure needs
of advanced air mobility.

2. Designate a person who has expertise in advanced
air mobility within the department as a resource for local and regional
jurisdictions that are developing or implementing advanced air mobility,
including an electric powered lift aircraft and electric aircraft. The
person shall establish working relationships with political subdivisions of
this state that own or control a public airport, commercial air carriers, the
federal aviation administration, the United States department of transportation
and any other relevant stakeholders.

B. A political subdivision of this state, in
compliance with applicable federal laws, including those laws that apply to the
federal aviation administration's and the United States department of
transportation's safety standards
and after the approval of the
vertiport layout plan by the federal AVIATION administration
, may
establish the location of public and private vertiports,
the
location of
electric aircraft charging stations and the infrastructure
needs of advanced air mobility.

c. Each public vertiport and public
electric aircraft charging station and any separate project for infrastructure
needs of advanced air mobility shall be open for public bid with no preference
or weight given to an existing public vertiport owner or operator.
END_STATUTE