All Roll Calls
Yes: 135 • No: 1
UtahS.B. 1722026 General SessionSenateWALLET
Airport and Air Amendments
Sponsored By: Wayne A. Harper (Republican)
Signed by Governor
Law Enforcement and Criminal JusticeAeronauticsUnmanned AircraftAirportsTransportationDepartment of Transportation
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
6 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 3 costs, 1 mixed.
Airports must help recover lost property
Beginning May 6, 2026, airports federally required to provide law enforcement must try to find owners of qualifying lost property. Operators must post property information on the airport website. Police can transfer property to airport staff, but not firearms or other dangerous weapons. If owners cannot be identified or directly notified within 30 days, operators must publish disposal notices. Notices are also required when notified owners do not claim property within 30 days. Notices must appear on the airport website and state public legal notice website. Disposal is barred for at least eight days after publication; local ordinances can allow disposal after nine days. Options include auction, third-party sale, public-interest donation, destruction of unusable property, or lawful use of found money. Operators must keep disposal records, and government employees cannot claim property unless they own it. Exclusions include criminal-investigation property, hazardous or unsanitary items, abandoned vehicles, and airline property without a written agreement.
Utah gains airport project spending flexibility
Beginning May 6, 2026, Utah removes the 10% limit on its annual Aeronautics Restricted Account appropriation for any one airport project. The transportation department can direct a larger share of that funding to a single project. The law does not add a new funding amount.
Aircraft owners must register sooner
Beginning May 6, 2026, civil aircraft based in Utah need current state registration after 90 days in any consecutive 12-month period. This replaces the 181-day threshold; statutory exceptions still apply. Being based in Utah includes being hangared, tied down, parked, or domiciled there. The same 90-day test replaces the prior largest-share-of-the-year test for distributing the existing $25 fee instead of property tax. For aircraft required to register, Utah sends that fee to the county where the aircraft is based.
Utah charter businesses must register aircraft
Beginning May 6, 2026, Utah-headquartered aircraft operators licensed under federal Part 135 must register aircraft they own and operate. This applies regardless of how long those aircraft are based in Utah.
Public airports face licensing and reporting rules
Beginning May 6, 2026, Utah's airport definition covers public-use takeoff and landing areas, supporting areas, and public vertical-takeoff landing sites. It no longer requires specified facilities, department minimum standards, or an FAA-approved airport layout plan. Operators must get a state license before establishing and operating a public-use airport, including one without federal funding. After notice of failed standards, airports have 10 days to submit a compliance plan and schedule. Failure to respond can lead to license revocation and closure. Public-use airports and airports receiving state grants must report aircraft lists twice yearly. Those lists include aircraft hangared, tied down, or parked at the airport for at least 90 days in any consecutive 12-month period, replacing the largest-share-of-the-year test.
Police drone data use faces privacy limits
Beginning May 6, 2026, Utah police may obtain, receive, or use drone data only through listed legal paths. These include a warrant, a recognized warrant exception, or finding a missing person where no reasonable privacy expectation exists. Police may also use data without violating a reasonable privacy expectation, replacing the prior exception for noncriminal-investigation uses. Data from nongovernment sources must appear to concern a crime or meet the emergency rule. That rule requires a good-faith belief that disclosure helps address an imminent or ongoing emergency risking death or serious injury. Data must be destroyed as soon as reasonably possible, subject to records retention schedules and law. The limits also cover imaging surveillance devices used with drones.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Wayne A. Harper
Republican • Senate
Cosponsors
Doug Welton
Republican • House
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 3/5/2026
House/ passed 3rd reading
Yes: 64 • No: 1
House vote • 2/25/2026
House Comm - Favorable Recommendation
Yes: 9 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/17/2026
Senate/ uncircled
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/17/2026
Senate/ circled
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/17/2026
Senate/ passed 3rd reading
Yes: 25 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/13/2026
Senate/ uncircled
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/13/2026
Senate/ circled
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/13/2026
Senate/ passed 2nd reading
Yes: 26 • No: 0
Senate vote • 1/27/2026
Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
Yes: 6 • No: 0
Senate vote • 1/27/2026
Senate Comm - Amendment Recommendation
Yes: 5 • No: 0
Actions Timeline
Governor Signed
3/18/2026Senate/ to Governor
3/13/2026SenateSenate/ received enrolled bill from Printing
3/13/2026SenateSenate/ enrolled bill to Printing
3/11/2026SenateEnrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
3/11/2026Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
3/6/2026Bill Received from Senate for Enrolling
3/6/2026Senate/ signed by President/ sent for enrolling
3/6/2026SenateSenate/ received from House
3/6/2026SenateHouse/ to Senate
3/5/2026HouseHouse/ signed by Speaker/ returned to Senate
3/5/2026HouseHouse/ passed 3rd reading
3/5/2026HouseHouse/ 3rd reading
3/5/2026HouseHouse/ 2nd reading
2/25/2026HouseHouse/ committee report favorable
2/25/2026HouseHouse Comm - Favorable Recommendation
2/25/2026House/ to standing committee
2/23/2026HouseHouse/ 1st reading (Introduced)
2/18/2026HouseHouse/ received from Senate
2/17/2026HouseSenate/ to House
2/17/2026SenateSenate/ passed 3rd reading
2/17/2026SenateSenate/ uncircled
2/17/2026SenateSenate/ circled
2/17/2026SenateSenate/ 3rd reading
2/17/2026SenateSenate/ passed 2nd reading
2/13/2026Senate
Bill Text
Enrolled
3/11/2026
Amended 1/28/2026 11:01:644
1/28/2026
Introduced
1/21/2026