HB 715 — AIRCRAFT/AVIATION: Requires aerial applicators to carry radios and transponders while using a publicly owned airport or landing field

HLSENROLLED 26RS-462 REENGROSSED Regular Session HOUSE BILL NO.

715 BY REPRESENTATIVE DESHOTEL AIRCRAFT/AVIATION:AN ACT To amend and reenact R.S.

Requiresaerialapplicatorstocarryradiosandtransponderswhile2:135.3(A) usingand a(B), publiclyrelative ownedto airportaerial orapplicators; landing field AN ACT To amend and reenact R.S.

2:135.3(Sectionto heading),require (A),aerial andapplicators (B), relative to aerialoperate applicators;tofederally requirecompliant aerialapplicatorstransponders to operatefederallycomplianttransponders and two-way radios when using publicly owned airports or participating in airport priority programs;

to prohibitprohibitpoliticalsubdivisionsfromdiscriminatingagainstlicensedaerialapplicators political subdivisions from discriminating against licensed aerial applicators using public airports;

to provide for inspection and enforcement by the Department ofofAgricultureandForestry;toprovideforaerialapplicatorsatnon-toweredairports; Agriculture and Forestry;

totoprovideforpublicsafetyandcoordinationofairportoperations;andtoprovidefor providerelated formatters. aerial applicators at non-toweredairports;

to provide for public safetyand coordination of airport operations;

to provide for limitations;

and to provide for related matters.

2:135.3(Section2:135.3(A) heading), (A), and (B) are hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:

conditions for use of public airports A.(1) No city, town, or other political subdivision of this state which establishes airports or landing fields, or which acquires, leases, or sets apart real property for such purposes shall use any aspect of its authority to discriminate against the use of such airports or landing fields by any aerial applicator appropriately licensed by the Department of Agriculture and Forestry for aerial applicationofseeds,fertilizers,orpesticidesprovidedpesticides,providedthatsuch aerial applicator complies with all regulations as maybe promulgated bythe airport Page 1 of 43 CODING:

HLS 26RS-462 REENGROSSED HB NO.

715 aerialENROLLED applicator complies with all regulations as maybe promulgated bythe airport owner or operator or the Department of Transportation and Development for the furtherance of flying safety and protection of the airport environs.

(2) In theeventthatanyairporttheevent authorityobjectstothatanyairportauthorityobjectsto theuseofits facilities bya licensed aerial applicator, the officeofoffice of agricultural and environmental sciences of the Department of Agriculture and Forestry shall upon request send a representative to inspect and monitor the field prior to, during, and after the use by the aerial applicator to ascertainascertainif if anyharmful chemicals and other residues remain asasaresultoftheusebytheaerialapplicator. a result oftheusebytheaerialapplicator.

IfthecommissionerIf the commissioner of the Department ofAgricultureandForestrydeterminesthattheapplicatorisorhasbeeninviolation, the commissioner shall have the authorityauthorityto to suspend the offending applicator from further use of the airport or landing strip.

B.(1) Asaconditionofusingapubliclyownedairportorlandingfieldwithin this state, or participation in an airport priority program, any aerial applicator licensed by the Department of Agriculture and Forestry shall operate a functioning aircrafttransponderconsistentwithapplicablefederalaviationregulations,including but not limited to an Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B Out) systemcompliantwith14CFRPart91.225oraModeCtranspondercompliantwith 1414CFRPart91.215,andanoperabletwo-wayradiocapableofcommunicatingwith CFR Part91.215,andanoperabletwo-wayradiocapableofcommunicatingwith airport traffic or advisoryservices when such services are available.

Page(b) 2Wind ofconditions, 4runway CODING:configuration, or aircraft performance characteristics dictate otherwise.

Page 2 of 3 CODING:

HLS 26RS-462 REENGROSSED HB NO.

715 (b)ENROLLED Wind(c) conditions,Receipt runwayof configuration,direction orfrom aircraftair performancetraffic characteristicscontrol dictateor otherwise.Federal Aviation Administration guidance.

(c)* Receipt* of* directionSPEAKER fromOF airTHE trafficHOUSE controlOF orREPRESENTATIVES FederalPRESIDENT AviationOF AdministrationTHE guidance.SENATE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA APPROVED:

(4)Page No3 airport authority, political subdivision, or publicly owned airport or landing field shall use data derived from an aircraft transponder, including but not limited to Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data, for the purpose of assessing,3 calculating,CODING: or collecting any fee, charge penalty, or other revenue, or for enforcement of anylocal ordinance unrelated to safety.

* * * DIGEST ThedigestprintedbelowwaspreparedbyHouseLegislative Services.

It constitutes nopart 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 715 Reengrossed 2026 Regular Session Deshotel Abstract:

Requiresaerialapplicatorsoperatingatpubliclyownedairportsorlandingfields use radios and transponders as a means of communicating with airport traffic services.

Present law prohibits anycity, town, or political subdivision that owns or manages airports fromdiscriminatingagainst aerialapplicators licensed bytheDept.ofAgricultureforaerial application of seeds, fertilizers, or pesticides, provided the applicators follow all safetyand operational regulations set by the airport or the Dept.

of Transportation and Development.

ProposedlawretainspresentlawandclarifiesthenameofDept.ofAgricultureandForestry.

Present law requires that if an airport authority objects to a licensed aerial applicator using its facilities, the Dept.

of Agriculture and Forestry, upon request, must inspect and monitor the site before, during, and after application for any harmful chemicals and other residues remain as a result of the use by the aerial applicator.

Authorizes the commissioner to suspend the applicator from further airport use if violations are found.

Proposed law retains present law.

Proposed law requires that any aerial applicator using a publicly owned airport or participating in an airport priority program operate a functioning aircraft transponder meeting federal aviation standards, including ADS-B Out or Mode C, and maintain an operabletwo-wayradio for communication with airporttrafficor advisoryservices.

Limits the transponder and radio requirements to aircraft operations during takeoff or landing to ensure public safety and coordinate airport surface and trafficoperations.

Further requires an aerial applicator operating at a publicly owned airport without a control tower to follow the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) recommended standard traffic pattern, unless safety, wind, runway, or aircraft performance considerations require deviation, or the pilot is directed otherwise by air traffic control or FAA guidance.

Page 3 of 4 CODING: