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HLS 26RS-2677 REENGROSSED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 1175
BY REPRESENTATIVE TURNER
AIRCRAFT/AIRPORTS: Provides with respect to definitions pertaining to aeronautics
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 2:1(2), (3), (6) through (10), (16), (21), and (23) and to enact
3 R.S. 2:1(28) through (36), relative to aerospace facilities and aerospace activities; to
4 provide for definitions; to direct the Louisiana State Law Institute to alphabetize and
5 renumber definitions; to provide for an effective date; and to provide for related
6 matters.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 2:1(2), (3), (6) through (10), (16), (21), and (23) are hereby amended
9 and reenacted and R.S. 2:1(28) through (36) are hereby enacted to read as follows:
10 §1. Definitions
11 For the purposes of this Title, the following definitions shall apply:
12 * * *
13 (2) "Aeronautics" means the act or practice of the art and science of
14 transportation by any activity that involves, makes possible, or is required for the
15 operation of an aircraft, or that contributes to or is required for the safety of such
16 operation, including and the research, development, testing, operation operations,
17 manufacture, construction, repair, or maintenance of aircraft, airports, landing fields,
18 landing strips, air navigation facilities, or air instruction.
19 (3) "Aircraft" means any contrivance or object and its components now
20 known or hereafter invented, used, or designed for navigation of, or flight in, the air,
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1 including rockets, spacecraft, launch and reentry vehicles, and any subparts of the
2 launch vehicle specifically designed or adapted for that contrivance or object.
3 * * *
4 (6) "Airman" means any person, including the one in command, and any
5 pilot, mechanic or member of the crew, who engages in the navigation of aircraft
6 while under way, and, any person who is in charge of the inspection performs
7 inspections, overhauling overhauls, or repair of repairs aircraft, and any individual
8 who served in the capacity of serves as an aircraft dispatcher or air traffic control
9 tower operator, and any person who otherwise performs activities relating to the
10 takeoff, launch, reentry, or landing of aircraft.
11 (7) "Air navigation" means the operation or navigation of aircraft in the
12 airspace space over the lands and waters of the state of Louisiana.
13 (8) "Air navigation facility" means any facility, other than facilities owned
14 or operated by the United States, used, or available or designed for use, in aid of air
15 navigation, including any structures, mechanisms, lights, beacons, markers,
16 communicating systems, or other facilities used or useful as an aid, or constituting
17 an advantage or convenience, to the safe taking off, launch, navigation, reentry, and
18 landing of aircraft, or the safe and efficient operation or maintenance of an airport.
19 * * *
20 (9) "Airport" means any area of land or water, except a restricted landing
21 area, or aerospace facility which is designed for the landing, and takeoff, launch, and
22 reentry of aircraft, whether or not facilities are provided for the sheltering, servicing,
23 or repairing of aircraft or for receiving or discharging passengers or cargo; all
24 appurtenant areas used or suitable for airport buildings or other airport aeronautical
25 facilities; and all appurtenant rights of way including easements through or other
26 interests in air space over land or water and other protection privileges, the
27 acquisition or control of which is necessary to insure safe approaches to the landing
28 areas and efficient operation thereof; and all areas necessary to ensure the safety of
29 the aeronautical activities conducted therein.
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1 (10) "Airport hazard" means any structure, object of natural growth, or use
2 of land, which obstructs the air space required for the flight of aircraft in landing,
3 launching, or taking off at any airport or restricted landing area or is otherwise
4 hazardous to such landing, launch, or taking off.
5 * * *
6 (16) "Director" means the Assistant Secretary, Office of Aviation, secretary
7 of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development.
8 * * *
9 (21) "Political subdivision" means any parish, city, town, village, city and
10 parish, public corporation, district, or other political entity or public corporation of
11 this state.
12 * * *
13 (23) "Restricted landing area" means any area of land, water, or both, which
14 is used or is made available for the landing, launch, and takeoff of aircraft, the use
15 of which shall, except in case of emergency, be only as provided from time to time
16 by the department.
17 * * *
18 (28) "Aerospace facility" includes the following:
19 (a) An area intended to be used for aerospace flight activities for the transport
20 of goods or persons.
21 (b) An area intended to be used for aerospace flight activities.
22 (c) An aerospace building or facility located in an area reasonably proximate
23 to a launching or landing area.
24 (d) An area reasonably proximate to a launch vehicle or aerospace craft in
25 an area that is intended for use for an aerospace building or facility.
26 (e) Any property, including a temporary protection zone necessary to ensure
27 public safety related to the conduct of aerospace flight activities.
28 (29) "Aerospace flight activities" means any act or activity related to the
29 research, development, testing, manufacture, preparation, launch, operation, reentry,
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1 descent, landing, or post-landing recovery of a launch vehicle, aerospace craft,
2 payload, or related equipment, including but not limited to fueling, integration,
3 conditioning, transport, and any associated ground support operations, whether
4 conducted on-site or involving overflight.
5 (30) "Aerospace flight entity" means any person, corporation, partnership,
6 limited liability company, or other entity that conducts space flight activities and, to
7 the extent required by federal law, holds or operates anywhere under a valid Federal
8 Aviation Administration license, experimental permit, or other authorization for the
9 relevant activities requiring such a license. The term includes any employee,
10 officer, director, agent, contractor, manufacturer, supplier, or vendor of such entity;
11 any owner or lessor of immovable property used for space flight activities; and any
12 political subdivision or public entity with a contractual or operational relationship
13 facilitating such activities.
14 (31) "Aerospace flight participant" means an individual carried aboard a
15 craft or vehicle.
16 (32) "Aerospace flight participant injury" means an injury sustained by an
17 aerospace flight participant, including bodily injury, emotional distress, death,
18 disability, property damage, or any other loss arising from the individual's
19 participation in aerospace flight activities.
20 (33) "Craft" means any object and its components designed to be launched
21 for operation, and any subcomponents of the launch vehicle specifically designed or
22 adapted for that object.
23 (34) "Launch" means a placement or attempted placement of a launch
24 vehicle or aerospace craft.
25 (35) "Launch vehicle" means any vehicle and its stages or components
26 designed to operate in or place aerospace craft.
27 Section 2. The Louisiana State Law Institute is hereby authorized and directed to
28 alphabetize and renumber the definitions contained in R.S. 2:1 and to correct any cross-
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1 references to the renumbered paragraphs if necessary, consistent with the provisions of this
2 Act.
3 Section 3. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
4 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
5 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
6 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
7 effective on the day following such approval.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 1175 Reengrossed 2026 Regular Session Turner
Abstract: Provides definitions relative to aerospace facilities and aerospace activities.
Present law provides for definitions.
Proposed law modifies definitions for "aeronautics", "aircraft", "airman", "air navigation",
"air navigation facility", "airport", "airport hazard", "director", "political subdivision", and
"restricted landing area". Also, adds definitions for "aerospace facility", "aerospace flight
activities", "aerospace flight entity", "aerospace flight participant", "aerospace flight
participant injury", "craft", "launch", and "launch vehicle".
Proposed law provides for expanded applicability of "aerospace facility".
Proposed law modifies select uses of the term "craft" as "aerospace craft".
Directs the La. State Law Institute to alphabetize and renumber the definitions contained in
present law and proposed law and to correct any cross-references that may need to be
changed as a result of this renumbering.
Effective upon signature of governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Amends R.S. 2:(2), (3), (6)-(10), (16), (21), and (23); Adds R.S. 2:1(28)-(36))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The House Floor Amendments to the engrossed bill:
1. Expand the definition of "aerospace facility" to include "an area intended to be
used for aerospace flight activities for the transport of goods or persons".
2. Modify the definition of "aeronautics" by removing the reference to "the act or
practice of the art and science of transportation" and specifying that it includes
"any activity that involves, makes possible, or is required for the operation of an
aircraft, or that contributes to or is required for the safety of such operation,
including the research, development, testing, operations, manufacture,
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construction, repair, or maintenance of aircraft, airports, landing fields, landing
strips, air navigation facilities, or air instruction".
3. Expand the definition of "aircraft" to include any "object or its components"
including "rockets, spacecraft, launch and reentry vehicles, and any subparts of
the launch vehicle specifically designed or adapted for that contrivance or
object".
4. Clarify the definition of "airman" to include "any person who otherwise performs
activities relating to the takeoff, launch, reentry, or landing of aircraft".
5. Clarify the definition of "air navigation" by changing "airspace" to "space".
6. Modify the definition of "air navigation facility" to include "launch" and
"reentry" functions of aircraft.
7. Modify the definition of "airport" to include any area designed for the launch and
reentry of aircraft, "aerospace facility", and "all areas necessary to ensure the
safety of the aeronautical activities conducted therein".
8. Expand the definition for "airport hazard" to include applicability to aircraft
launching.
9. Change the definition of "director" from the assistant secretary of the office of
aviation to the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and
Development.
10. Narrow the definition of "political subdivision" by removing the inclusion of a
public corporation of the state.
11. Expand the definition of "restricted landing area" to that which is made available
for launching of aircraft.
12. Add "aerospace" to select uses of the term "craft"
13. Change reference to "real" property to "immovable" property.
14. Make technical changes.
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