SOAR Act

To require the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to establish an Aviation Rulemaking Committee to make recommendations regarding continuous aircraft tracking and transmission of identity, altitude, and location data for high altitude balloons, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Seeing Objects at Altitude Regularly Act SOAR Act 2. Continuous aircraft tracking and transmission for high altitude balloons (a) Aviation Rulemaking Committee (1) In general Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall establish an Aviation Rulemaking Committee (in this section referred to as the Committee (2) Composition The Committee shall consist of members appointed by the Administrator, including the following: (A) Representatives of industry. (B) Aviation safety experts with specific knowledge of high altitude balloon operations. (C) Representatives of the Department of Defense. (D) Representatives of Federal agencies that conduct high altitude balloon operations. (3) Report Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this section, the Committee shall submit to the Administrator a report detailing the findings and recommendations of the Committee described in paragraph (1). Such report shall include recommendations regarding the following: (A) How to update sections 91.215, 91.225, and 99.13 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, to require any high altitude balloons to have a continuous aircraft tracking and transmission system. (B) Any necessary updates to the requirements for unmanned free balloons under subpart D of part 101 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations. (C) Any necessary updates to other Federal Aviation Administration regulations or requirements deemed appropriate and necessary by the Administrator to— (i) ensure any high altitude balloon has a continuous aircraft tracking and transmission system; (ii) ensure all data relating to the altitude, location, and identity of any high altitude balloon is made available to air traffic controllers, aircraft, and other users of the National Airspace System; and (iii) maintain airspace safety. (b) Rulemaking and other requirements Not later than 180 days after the date on which the Committee submits the report under subsection (a)(3), the Administrator shall— (1) issue a notice of proposed rulemaking to require a continuous aircraft tracking and transmission system for any high altitude balloon, in accordance with the recommendations of the Committee; and (2) coordinate with foreign authorities (including bilateral partners and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)) to develop continuous aircraft tracking and transmission system standards for any high altitude balloon operating outside of the National Airspace System. (c) Interim standard During the period beginning on the date that is 2 years after the date of enactment of this section and ending on the date on which the Administrator issues a notice of proposed rulemaking under subsection (b)(1), a person may only operate a high altitude balloon if such balloon meets the requirements described in section 91.215(b) of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, notwithstanding the exemption provided in subsection (e)(1) of such section 91.215. (d) Reports to Congress Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this section, and every 6 months thereafter until the Administrator promulgates a final rule under subsection (b), the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the status of the rulemaking and other requirements being developed under such subsection. (e) Definitions In this section: (1) Administrator The term Administrator (2) Appropriate committees of Congress The term appropriate committees of Congress (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate; (B) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; (C) the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives; and (D) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives. (3) High altitude balloon The term high altitude balloon

Summary: Seeing Objects at Altitude Regularly Act or the SOAR Act This bill requires the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to establish a rulemaking committee and propose rules on the continuous tracking of high altitude balloons (i.e., manned or unmanned free balloons operating at least 10,000 feet above sea level). Specifically, the committee must develop findings and recommendations regarding a standard requiring high altitude balloons to be equipped with a system for continuous aircraft tracking and transmit, at a minimum, the altitude, location, and identity of the balloon in a manner that is accessible to air traffic controllers, aircraft, and other users of the U.S. national airspace system (NAS). Further, the FAA must, in accordance with the recommendations of the committee, issue a notice of proposed rulemaking to require a continuous aircraft tracking and transmission system for high altitude balloons and coordinate with foreign authorities to develop such standards for any balloons operating outside of NAS. If the FAA does not issue a notice of proposed rulemaking within two years of the bill's enactment, the bill prescribes certain interim standards for the operation of high altitude balloons, which stay in place until the FAA issues a notice of proposed rulemaking.