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General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 236
February Session, 2026
AN ACT IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE
CONNECTICUT AIRPORT AUTHORITY REGARDING THE LICENSURE
AND REGISTRATION OF AIRPORTS AND OTHER AIR NAVIGATION
FACILITIES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 13b -46 of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 2
(a) The executive director may approve airports, heliports, vertiports, 3
restricted landing areas and other air navigation facilities. Any 4
municipality or person acquiring property for the purpose of 5
constructing or establishing an airport, heliport, vertiport or restricted 6
landing area shall, prior to such acquisition, apply to the executive 7
director for a certificate of approval of the site selected and the general 8
purpose or purposes for which the property is to be acquired, to ensure 9
that the property and its use shall conform to minimum standards of 10
safety and shall serve the public interest. Any proposed airport, 11
heliport, vertiport, restricted landing area or other air navigation facility 12
at which more than thirty -six landings and takeoffs are expected to be 13
made by aircraft in any year shall be approved by the executive director 14
before it shall be licensed to be used or operated. The executive director 15
shall make no charge for approval certificates of proposed property 16
acquisition for airport, heliport, vertiport or restricted landing area 17
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purposes. 18
(b) The executive director may (1) license [airports, heliports, 19
vertiports, restricted landing areas and other air navigation facilities ] 20
any airport, heliport, vertiport, restricted landing area and other air 21
navigation facility at which more than thirty -six landings and takeoffs 22
are expected to be made by aircraft in any year, and (2) renew such 23
licenses. When a certificate of approval of an airport, heliport, vertiport, 24
[or] restricted landing area or other air navigation facility has been 25
issued by the executive director, the executive director may grant a 26
license for operation and use. On and after [July 1, 1995] October 1, 2026, 27
the executive director shall charge a fee of [one hundred fifty ] three 28
hundred dollars for each license or renewal thereof. Each such license 29
shall be effective for a period of three years from the date of issuance. 30
Each licensee shall certify, on a form provided by the executive director, 31
that the licensed facility shall comply with all applicable federal, state 32
and local laws and regulations during the license period. Municipalities 33
shall be exempt from the payment of any license fee in connection with 34
airports owned or operated by such municipalities. 35
(c) The executive director may (1) register any airport, heliport, 36
vertiport, restricted landing area or other air navigation facility at which 37
thirty-six or fewer landings and takeoffs are expected to be made by 38
aircraft in any year, and (2) renew such registrations. On and after 39
October 1, 2026, the executive director shall charge a fee of one hundred 40
dollars for each registration or renewal thereof. Each such registration 41
shall be effective for a period of three years from the date of issuance. 42
Each registrant shall certify, on a form provided by the executive 43
director, (A) that the registered facility shall comply with all applicable 44
federal, state and local laws and regulations during the registration 45
period, and (B) that there will be thirty -six or fewer landings and 46
takeoffs by aircraft at such facility in any year during the registration 47
period. Any airport, heliport, vertiport, restricted landing area or other 48
air navigation facility at which thirty-six or fewer landings and takeoffs 49
are expected to be made by aircraft in any year shall be registered with 50
the executive director pursuant to this subsection before it is to be used 51
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or operated. Municipalities shall be exempt from the payment of any 52
registration fee in connection with airports owned or operated by such 53
municipalities. 54
[(c)] (d) No municipality or officer or employee thereof and no person 55
shall operate an airport, heliport, vertiport, restricted landing area or 56
other air navigation facility for which approval has not been granted, 57
and a license has not been issued, by the executive director in 58
accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this section or 59
registration has not been issued by the executive director in accordance 60
with the provisions of subsection (c) of this section . The provisions of 61
this section shall not apply to any airport, heliport, vertiport, restricted 62
landing area or other air navigation facility owned by the federal 63
government within this state. Any person who violates the provisions 64
of this subsection shall be guilty of a class C misdemeanor. 65
[(d)] (e) Any heliport in operation prior to October 1, 1985, shall be 66
deemed licensed for operation and use and the executive director shall 67
issue an original license for any such heliport upon the written request 68
of the person who controls and operates such heliport. Such heliports 69
shall be subject to the provisions of this chapter concerning the renewal 70
or revocation of licenses, inspection and review of air navigation 71
facilities and any other provision of this chapter except those concerning 72
the initial approval or licensing of such facilities. Such heliports shall be 73
subject to any rule or procedure adopted by the authority in accordance 74
with the provisions of this chapter except those concerning the initial 75
approval or licensing of any air navigation facility. 76
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 October 1, 2026 13b-46
TRA Joint Favorable Subst.
JUD Joint Favorable
Substitute Bill No. 236
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