S.J.R. 3
- *SJR3*
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 3–SENATOR HORSFORD
FEBRUARY 9, 2009
____________
JOINT SPONSOR: ASSEMBLYWOMAN KIRKPATRICK
____________
Referred to Committee on Energy, Infrastructure and Transportation
SUMMARY—Urges Congress to authorize the Clark County
Department of Aviation to ban flights of
experimental homebuilt aircraft to and from the
North Las Vegas Airport. (BDR R-803)
FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government: No.
Effect on the State: No.
~
EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION—Urging Congress to authorize
the Clark County Department of Aviation to ban flights of
experimental homebuilt aircraft to and from the North Las
Vegas Airport.
Legislative Counsel’s Digest:
1 Federal law provides that the United States Government has exclusive
2 sovereignty of airspace of the United States and requires the Administrator of the
3 Federal Aviation Administration to prescribe regulations on the flight of aircraft to
4 prevent collisions between aircraft and to protect persons and property on the
5 ground. (49 U.S.C. § 40103) This resolution expresses the concerns of the
6 Legislature regarding the safety of flights of experimental homebuilt aircraft to and
7 from the North Las Vegas Airport and urges Congress to enact legislation
8 authorizing the Clark County Department of Aviation to ban flights of experimental
9 homebuilt aircraft to and from the North Las Vegas Airport.
1 WHEREAS, The expansion of urban areas in Clark County
2 increasingly places homes and neighborhoods directly in the flight
3 paths of aircraft flying to and from the North Las Vegas Airport;
4 and
5 WHEREAS, Flights of experimental homebuilt aircraft to and
6 from the North Las Vegas Airport are increasingly common; and
– 2 –
- *SJR3*
1 WHEREAS, Experimental homebuilt aircraft have higher
2 accident rates than other types of aircraft and accounted for more
3 than 12 percent of airplane accidents nationwide in 2007; and
4 WHEREAS, Experimental homebuilt aircraft have been involved
5 in more than 20 accidents in Clark County since 2003; and
6 WHEREAS, Crashes involving experimental homebuilt aircraft
7 flying from the North Las Vegas Airport resulted in the deaths of
8 several persons on the ground in 2008; and
9 WHEREAS, The safety of persons who live near the North Las
10 Vegas Airport is of the highest concern to the people of this State;
11 and
12 WHEREAS, The Clark County Department of Aviation cannot
13 regulate the flights of experimental homebuilt aircraft to and from
14 the North Las Vegas Airport because federal law provides the
15 United States Government with exclusive sovereignty of airspace in
16 the United States; now, therefore, be it
17 RESOLVED BY THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF
18 NEVADA, JOINTLY, That the Nevada Legislature expresses serious
19 concerns regarding the safety of allowing flights of experimental
20 homebuilt aircraft to and from the North Las Vegas Airport; and be
21 it further
22 RESOLVED, That the Nevada Legislature urges the Congress of
23 the United States to enact legislation authorizing the Clark County
24 Department of Aviation to ban flights of experimental homebuilt
25 aircraft to and from the North Las Vegas Airport; and be it further
26 RESOLVED, That the Secretary of the Senate prepare and
27 transmit a copy of this resolution to the President of the United
28 States, the Vice President of the United States as the presiding
29 officer of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of
30 Representatives and each member of the Nevada Congressional
31 Delegation; and be it further
32 RESOLVED, That this resolution becomes effective upon
33 passage.
H