HB 1683

Brief Description: Creating a state commercial aviation coordinating commission.

Sponsors: Representatives Orwall, Dent, Stokesbary, Irwin, Pellicciotti, Reeves and Hudgins.

Hearing Date: 2/7/19

Staff: Patricia Hasan (786-7292).

Background:

Airports nationwide are categorized by type of activities. The categories include commercial service, primary, cargo service, reliever, and general aviation airports.

Commercial service airports are publicly owned airports that have at least 2,500 passenger boardings each calendar year and receive scheduled passenger service. Passenger boardings refer to revenue passenger boardings on an aircraft in service in air commerce whether or not in scheduled service. There are two subcategories of commercial service airports:

• Primary airports are commercial service airports that have more than 10,000 passenger boardings each year. Hub categories for primary airports are defined as a percentage of total passenger boardings within the United States in the most current calendar year ending before the start of the current federal fiscal year, as follows:

  • large hub airports have 1 percent or more of total United States passenger boardings;

  • medium hub airports have at least 0.25 percent but less than 1 percent of total United States passenger boardings;

  • small hub airports have at least 0.05 percent but less than 0.25 percent of total United States passenger boardings; and

  • nonhub airports have more than 10,000 passenger boardings but less than 0.05 percent of total United States passenger boardings.

• Nonprimary airports are commercial service airports that have at least 2,500 and no more than 10,000 passenger boardings each year.

The Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS) is an inventory of United States aviation infrastructure assets and contains a listing of all commercial service airports. According to the NPIAS updated in October 2018, Washington has 10 primary airports; one is a large hub, two are small hubs, and seven are nonhubs. Washington also has one nonprimary commercial service airport.

Summary of Bill:

The Commercial Aviation Coordinating Commission (Commission) is created and shall consist of 13 voting members and at least two nonvoting members. Nine of the voting members must be appointed by the Governor to represent the following interests:

• four representatives of the ports, in the following manner:

  • one representative of a port located in a county with a population of 2 million or more;

  • one representative of an association of ports; and

  • two representatives of other ports;

• three representatives of the airline industry and the private sector;

• one representative of an eastern Washington metropolitan planning organization; and

• one representative of a western Washington metropolitan planning organization.

The remaining four voting members shall consist of:

• one representative of the Department of Commerce;

• one representative of the Washington State Department of Transportation's (WSDOT) Aviation Division;

• the Governor or the Governor's designee; and

• one representative of the Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board.

The two nonvoting members must be a representative of the FAA and a representative of the Washington State Aviation Alliance. The Governor may appoint additional nonvoting members as deemed appropriate. The Commission shall select a chair from among its membership. The WSDOT shall provide staff support for coordinating and administering the Commission and technical assistance. The Governor or the Governor's designee shall convene the initial meeting of the Commission as soon as practicable.

The Commission's work must include:

• recommendations to the Legislature on future Washington long-range commercial aviation facility needs;

• the identification of a preferred location for a new commercial aviation facility; and

• the creation of a timeline for the development of an additional commercial aviation facility that is completed and functional by 2040.

The preferred location shall be determined by the following process:

• initiating a broad review of potential sites;

• recommending a short list of no more than six locations by January 1, 2020;

• identifying the top two locations by September 1, 2020; and

• identifying a single preferred location by January 1, 2021.

The Commission shall submit findings and recommendations to the transportation commissions of the Legislature by January 1, 2021.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.