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A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION continuing the work of the Air Mobility and 1
Aviation Economic Development Task Force by establishing the Aviation Economic 2
Development Task Force. 3
WHEREAS, the Legislative Research Commission established the Air Mobility and 4
Aviation Economic Development Task Force during the 2025 Interim to study and make 5
recommendations regarding the aviation industry and emerging technologies; and 6
WHEREAS, the task force met six times and discussed various topics related to 7
aviation, including the operation of commercial and general aviation airports, the aviation 8
operations of the Kentucky Air National Guard and the Kentucky Army National Guard, 9
aviation education and community outreach, alternative aviation fuels, and advanced air 10
mobility (AAM); and 11
WHEREAS, the task force found that aviation is a major industry due to the 12
Commonwealth's strategic location and is critically important for the economy of t he 13
Commonwealth and nation as a whole; and 14
WHEREAS, the task force heard from aviation education programs at Eastern 15
Kentucky University (EKU) and the Bluegrass Community and Technical College 16
systems, which continue to provide critical labor force develop ment for pilots, aircraft 17
mechanic technicians, airport administrators, and, one day, air traffic controllers with an 18
opportunity to start a Federal Aviation Administration Air Traffic Collegiate Training 19
Initiative at EKU; and 20
WHEREAS, the task force lea rned that airports and air carriers have a growing 21
need for a skilled workforce, with shortages in pilots, aircraft mechanics, and other 22
skilled technical positions; and 23
WHEREAS, the task force discovered that the Commonwealth has gaps in critical 24
infrastructure that support the needs of airports that include electricity, data storage, and 25
fuel production; and 26
WHEREAS, the task force identified that advanced air mobility is the future of the 27
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aerospace industry and it will bring innovation to emergency medi cal transportation, 1
cargo logistics efficiency, and passenger transportation; and 2
WHEREAS, the task force barely scratched the surface on the immense topic of the 3
aviation industry, AAM, and the future infrastructure needs to fully implement AAM 4
technology; and 5
WHEREAS, the Commonwealth lags behind other states and needs to develop a 6
strategic legislative plan for the use and regulation of AAM vehicles and infrastructure; 7
NOW, THEREFORE, 8
Be it resolved by the Senate of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of 9
Kentucky, the House of Representatives concurring therein: 10
Section 1. The Legislative Research Commission is hereby directed to 11
reestablish the Aviation Economic Development Task Force. The task force shall 12
continue to study and make recommendations regarding: 13
(1) Innovations in aviation, particularly in the AAM sector, which may impact the 14
short-term and long -term air travel needs of Kentucky residents and businesses to 15
promote flexibility and accessibility in interstate and intrastate mobility; 16
(2) Actions other states are taking to support the development of the AAM industry and 17
the companies providing these services; 18
(3) Kentucky's strengths, challenges, and opportunities, as well as industry trends, for 19
attracting additional aviation and aerospace-related economic development; and 20
(4) Actions and poli cies the state should consider in order to support aviation growth 21
and aviation-related economic development in Kentucky. 22
Section 2. The Aviation Economic Development Task Force shall be composed 23
of the following members , with final membership of the task force being subject to the 24
consideration and approval of the Legislative Research Commission: 25
(1) Four members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of 26
the House of Representatives, one of whom shall b e a member of the minority party, and 27
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one of whom shall be designated by the Speaker of the House of Representatives as a co -1
chair of the task force; and 2
(2) Four members of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate, one of 3
whom shall be a member of the minority party, and one of whom shall be designated by 4
the President of the Senate as a co-chair of the task force. 5
Section 3. The Aviation Economic Development Task Force shall meet at least 6
four times during th e 2026 Interim and shall submit its findings, legislative 7
recommendations, or a memorandum to the Legislative Research Commission no later 8
than December 1, 2026. If legislative recommendations are submitted, the Legislative 9
Research Commission may refer th e recommendations to the appropriate committee or 10
committees of jurisdiction in advance of the 2027 Regular Session of the Kentucky 11
General Assembly. 12
Section 4. Provisions of this resolution to the contrary notwithstanding, the 13
Legislative Research Commiss ion shall have the authority to alternatively assign the 14
issues identified herein to an intern joint committee or subcommittee thereof, and to 15
designate a study completion date. 16