Bill Text: CA AB2554 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Aviation: vertiports.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-04-03 - In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author. [AB2554 Detail]

Download: California-2023-AB2554-Amended.html

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Amended  IN  Assembly  March 21, 2024

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 2554

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Introduced by Assembly Member Calderon

February 14, 2024

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An act to amend Section 49040 of the Education Code, relating to voter registration. An act to add Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 21720) to Part 1 of Division 9 of the Public Utilities Code, relating to aviation.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 2554, as amended, Calderon. Voter registration: high school pupils. Aviation: vertiports.

Existing law, the State Aeronautics Act, governs aeronautics in the state for the purpose of furthering and protecting the public interest in aviation and aeronautical progress through identified means, and authorizes the Department of Transportation to adopt, administer, and enforce rules and regulations for the administration of the act. Under existing law, a violation of the State Aeronautics Act is a crime.

This bill would prohibit the governing body of a local government from granting the exclusive right to one operator to develop vertiports or control vertiport operations within the local government’s jurisdiction.

The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities.

Because the above provision would be a part of the State Aeronautics Act, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Existing law requires the Secretary of State to provide every high school with voter registration forms. Existing law expresses the intent of the Legislature that every eligible high school student receive a meaningful opportunity to apply to register to vote. Existing law requires the last 2 full weeks in April and in September to be known as “high school voter weeks,” during which time persons authorized by the county elections official are allowed to register to vote pupils and school personnel on high school campuses.

This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to the latter provision.

Digest Key

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: NOYES   Local Program: NOYES  

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Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

 Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 21720) is added to Part 1 of Division 9 of the Public Utilities Code, to read:

CHAPTER  9. Vertiports

21720.

 For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply:

(a) “Local government” has the same meaning as “political subdivision” as defined in Section 21010.

(b) “Vertiport” means an area of land or a structure used, or intended to be used, for vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.

21721.

 The governing body of a local government shall not grant the exclusive right to one operator to develop vertiports or control vertiport operations within the local government’s jurisdiction.

SEC. 2.

 The Legislature finds and declares that Section 1 of this act adding Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 21720) to Part 1 of Division 9 of the Public Utilities Code addresses a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair as that term is used in Section 5 of Article XI of the California Constitution. Therefore, Section 1 of this act applies to all cities, including charter cities.

SEC. 3.

 No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.

SECTION 1.Section 49040 of the Education Code is amended to read:

49040.

(a)The last two full weeks in April and the last two full weeks in September shall be known as “high school voter education weeks,” during which time persons authorized by the county elections official shall be allowed to register students and school personnel on a high school campus in areas designated by the administrator of the high school, or the administrator’s designee, which are reasonably accessible to all students.

(b)This section does not preclude a person from registering to vote students and school personnel on a high school campus as is otherwise permitted by the Elections Code.