AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - April 2020 - 13

FA R
AIM
AIR-TOUR BAN BILL IS
REJECTED IN HAWAII
Two Hawaii legislative committees have
rejected a bill strongly opposed by AOPA
that would have prohibited tour aircraft
operations from conducting commercial
flights on Sundays.
The votes by the Senate Transportation
Committee and the Energy, Economic
Development, and Tourism Committee
make it doubtful that the bill, which
purported to address an "overtourism" problem in Hawaii, would advance
in this legislative session, said AOPA
Western Pacific Regional Manager Melissa
McCaffrey.
"AOPA's efforts, along with the testimony of several other parties who opposed
the bill, were successful in putting a stop to
this proposal and the extreme penalties it
suggested for violations," she said.
McCaffrey submitted testimony urging that the bill be defeated on numerous
grounds including the illegality of a state
"attempting to enact laws that circumvent
the FAA's authority," as well as the adverse
economic impact its sanctions would have
on tourism and the $742 million annual
economic output of Hawaii's aviation industry-which provides 4,100 jobs to residents.
"Aerial tours alone contribute as much
as $150 million a year to the state's economy," she said.
aopa.org/pilot/hawaii

AIRCRAFT SALES TAX
EXEMPTION FACES
REPEAL IN NEW YORK
AOPA is working with national and statelevel aviation advocates to head off repeal
of an aircraft sales tax exemption that
since 2015 has provided financial stimulus to the state of New York and made
it a more competitive place to base aircraft. "This tax exemption has resulted in

hundreds of millions of dollars of public
and private investment that would not have
otherwise occurred, nor would the related
boom in jobs," said AOPA Eastern Regional
Manager Sean Collins.
Repealing the exemption could add up
to 9 percent to an aircraft's purchase price,
given a 4-percent state sales tax and additional local taxes, he said.
AOPA is working with the National
Business Aviation Association and the New
York Aviation Management Association to
raise awareness of the adverse effects of the
proposed repeal and mobilize their members to defeat it.

2020

Federal Aviation
Regulations Series

aopa.org/pilot/newyork

TASK FORCE FLOATS NEW
IDEAS IN NEW JERSEY
New investment in New Jersey's airport
system and an official nod to floatplane
access could flow from the work of a task
force established to produce a directory of
the state's public-use airports and make
recommendations for industry growth.
Gov. Phil Murphy signed a bill mandating a study of the 42-airport system and
producing a comprehensive directory to
be published in print and electronic formats, including a mobile edition. The law
assigns the state's Bureau of Aeronautics
the job of setting up the task force to carry
out a variety of projects.
The renewed focus on the state's
airport system comes as good news for aviation in a state that has lost roughly half its
airports since the 1950s. An additional airport, Trinca Airport, a grass strip in Green
Township, is expected to close later this
year on the expiration of grant obligations,
following a vote by the municipality.

ACCURATE,
RELIABLE, TRUSTED.

aopa.org/pilot/newjersey

What's AOPA advocating for aviation in
your state?
aopa.org/advocacy/state-advocacy

aopa.org/pilot AOPA PILOT | 13

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AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - April 2020

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