BILL NUMBER: SJR 7 CHAPTERED BILL TEXT RESOLUTION CHAPTER 101 FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE SEPTEMBER 6, 2013 ADOPTED IN SENATE AUGUST 30, 2013 ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY AUGUST 26, 2013 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY AUGUST 26, 2013 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY AUGUST 5, 2013 INTRODUCED BY Senator Lieu (Coauthor: Senator Pavley) (Coauthors: Assembly Members Muratsuchi, Ting, Ammiano, Atkins, Bloom, Bocanegra, Bonilla, Bonta, Bradford, Brown, Ian Calderon, Campos, Chau, Chesbro, Cooley, Fong, Fox, Frazier, Garcia, Gatto, Gonzalez, Gordon, Hall, Roger Hernández, Holden, Levine, Lowenthal, Medina, Mitchell, Mullin, Nazarian, Pan, Perea, John A. Pérez, V. Manuel Pérez, Quirk, Rendon, Skinner, Weber, Wieckowski, Wilk, Williams, and Yamada) MARCH 13, 2013 Relative to the Los Angeles Residential Helicopter Noise Relief Act of 2013. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SJR 7, Lieu. Los Angeles Residential Helicopter Noise Relief Act of 2013. This measure would urge the Congress to enact and the President to sign the Los Angeles Residential Helicopter Noise Relief Act of 2013. WHEREAS, Residents across the County of Los Angeles suffer intrusive and disruptive low-flying helicopter traffic above their neighborhoods; and WHEREAS, The County of Los Angeles is home to a unique and very large concentration of scenic, historic, entertainment, and transportation venues, including movie studios, movie stars' homes, outdoor entertainment facilities, the coastline, Griffith Park, the Hollywood sign, and many others, that generate extensive helicopter tours engaged in sightseeing activity; and WHEREAS, The County of Los Angeles has a high concentration of media helicopters engaged in monitoring traffic conditions, following car chases, and filming celebrity events, which often involve hovering for extended periods of time; and WHEREAS, The County of Los Angeles is home to the world's leading civil helicopter manufacturer, which conducts extensive helicopter flight testing in the region; and WHEREAS, The unique terrain of canyons and valleys in the County of Los Angeles often amplifies noise from helicopters in otherwise quiet residential areas; and WHEREAS, Helicopter noise in the County of Los Angeles interrupts daily life for many residents by interfering with the ability to hear conversations, the television, the radio, or the telephone, and disrupting sleep cycles; and WHEREAS, Despite multiple efforts from several community and homeowner organizations in the County of Los Angeles to address these disturbances, helicopter traffic in the County of Los Angeles is not currently regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) or any other agency; and WHEREAS, The FAA requires a specific minimum flying altitude for fixed-wing aircraft, but it does not require a specific minimum flying altitude for helicopters; and WHEREAS, The lack of effective regulations for commercial helicopter operations in the County of Los Angeles negatively impacts the safety and quality of life of the county's residents; and WHEREAS, The State of California is preempted by federal law from adopting altitude, flight path, and other necessary regulations to mitigate the impacts of commercial helicopters; and WHEREAS, There is a lack of clarity as to the rulemaking authority of the FAA; and WHEREAS, Two companion measures in Congress, Senate Bill No. 208 and House Bill No. 456, known as the Los Angeles Residential Helicopter Noise Relief Act of 2013, would require the Administrator of the FAA to prescribe regulations for helicopter operations in the County of Los Angeles that are needed to address residents' concerns over safety, noise, and other associated impacts; and WHEREAS, The following local government entities in the County of Los Angeles have recently voted to support the proposed federal legislation or its predecessor, the Los Angeles Residential Helicopter Noise Relief Act of 2011: the County of Los Angeles, the City of Los Angeles, the City of Hermosa Beach, the City of Lomita, the City of Palos Verdes Estates, the City of Rancho Palos Verdes, the City of Redondo Beach, the City of Rolling Hills Estates, and the City of West Hollywood; now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate and the Assembly of the State of California, jointly, That the Legislature supports the Los Angeles Residential Helicopter Noise Relief Act of 2013 (S. 208 and H.R. 456) and respectfully memorializes the Congress of the United States to promptly pass and President Barack Obama to sign that legislation; and be it further Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United States, to the Majority Leader of the Senate, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and to each Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the United States.