Source: http://www.wvlegislature.gov/WVCODE/code.cfm?chap=29&art=2A
Timestamp: 2020-04-02 22:11:55
Document Index: 602777267

Matched Legal Cases: ['§29', '§29', '§29', '§29', '§29', '§29', '§29', '§29', '§29', '§29', '§29', '§29', '§29', '§29', '§29', '§29', '§8', '§54']

§29-2A-2. Short title; continuation of commission; membership and compensation; quorum.
§29-2A-5. Director of aeronautics; appointment, qualifications, compensation, powers and duties; staff.
§29-2A-6. State financial assistance for county, municipal, and regional airports.
§29-2A-9
§29-2A-17
§29-2A-18
§29-2A-19
§29-2A-21
§29-2A-22
§29-2A-23
§29-2A-24
§29-2A-25
§29-2A-26
§29-2A-27
§29-2A-28
"Aeronautics" means the art and science of flight, including, but not limited to, transportation by aircraft; the operation, construction, repair, or maintenance of aircraft, aircraft power plants and accessories, including the repair, packing, and maintenance of parachutes; the design, establishment, construction, extension, operation, improvement, repair, or maintenance of airports or other air navigation facilities; and education about aeronautics.
"Air navigation" or "navigation" means the operation or navigation of aircraft in the air space over this state, or upon any airport within this state.
"Air navigation facility" means any facility other than one owned or controlled by the federal government used in, available for use in, or designed for use in aid of air navigation, including airports, and any structures, mechanisms, lights, beacons, markers, communications system or other instrumentalities or devices used or useful as an aid or constituting an advantage or convenience to the safe taking off, navigation, and landing of aircraft or the safe and efficient operation or maintenance of an airport, and any combination of any or all of such facilities
"Airport" means any area of land or water which is used, or intended for use, for the landing and takeoff of aircraft and any appurtenant areas which are used, or intended for use, for airport buildings or other airport facilities or rights-of-way, together with all airport buildings and facilities located thereon.
"Commission" means the West Virginia State Aeronautics Commission.
"Municipality" means any county, city, town, village, or other political subdivision of this state. "Municipal" means pertaining to a municipality as herein defined.
"Operation of aircraft" or "operate aircraft" means the use, navigation, or piloting of aircraft in the airspace over this state or upon the ground within this state.
"Person" means any individual, firm, partnership, corporation, company, association, joint stock association, or body politic and includes any trustee, receiver, assignee, or other similar representative thereof.
(a) This article may be cited as the "State Aeronautics Commission Act".
(b) The West Virginia State Aeronautics Commission is hereby continued. The current members shall retain their seats until the expiration of their terms and may be reappointed. The commission consists of five members appointed by the Governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. One member shall be the Secretary of Transportation ex officio, whose term shall continue for the period that he or she holds the office of Secretary of Transportation. The other four members of the commission are initially appointed by the Governor, one to serve for a term of one year, one to serve for a term of two years, one to serve for a term of three years, and one to serve for a term of four years. The successors of the members initially appointed as provided herein shall be appointed for terms of four years each in the same manner as the members originally appointed under this section, except that any person appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which his or her predecessor was appointed shall be appointed only for the remainder of such term. Each member shall serve until the appointment and qualification of his or her successor. No more than three members of the commission shall be members of the same political party. All members of the commission shall be citizens and residents of this state. The members of the commission who are appointed by the Governor as provided by this section shall be selected with due regard to their fitness by reason of their aeronautical, legal, administrative, or management knowledge. In making such appointments, the Governor shall, so far as may be possible and practicable, select the several members from different geographical sections of the state.
(c) No member may receive any salary for his or her services, but each shall be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses incurred by such member in the performance of his or her duties in accordance with state travel rules.
(d) Three members are a quorum, and a quorum is necessary to conduct business. Members may participate in any meeting by phone.
The commission may enter into any contracts necessary to the execution of the powers granted to it by this article. It is empowered and directed to encourage, foster, and assist in the development of aeronautics in this state and to encourage the establishment of airports and air navigation facilities. It shall cooperate with and assist the federal government, the municipalities of this state, and other persons in the development of aeronautics and shall act to coordinate the aeronautical activities of these bodies and persons. Municipalities are authorized to cooperate with the commission in the development of aeronautics and aeronautics facilities in this state. The commission is hereby given the power and authority to make such rules, policies, and guidelines as it may deem necessary and advisable for the public safety, governing the designing, laying out, locating, building, equipping and operating of all airports and the conduct of all other phases of aeronautics to effectuate the requirements of this article.
(1) The commission shall keep on file with the Secretary of State, and at the principal office of the commission, a copy of its rules and orders having general effect for public inspection. It shall provide for the publication and general distribution of all its orders, rules, and other information of public interest. Copies of any such orders, rules, and other information shall be made available electronically and provided to any person interested, free of charge, upon request. The publication and distribution of any such order or rule proposed for legislative approval in accordance with the provisions of §29A-3-1 et seq. of this code shall be sufficient notice to the public of the provisions, requirements, and effect thereof.
(2) Except where otherwise prohibited, the commission is authorized to permit the West Virginia Board of Treasury Investments or the West Virginia Investment Management Board to invest, as provided by this code, any funds received by the commission pursuant to the provisions of this code.
(a) The commission shall make, and may from time to time amend, rules for the administration of the powers granted to it by this article. The commission shall organize by electing from among its members a chairperson who shall serve as such for a period of two years. The chairperson is authorized to sign documents, execute contracts, and otherwise act for and in the name of the commission in all matters within the lawful powers of the commission and authorized by a majority of its members.
(b) The commission shall determine the number, date, and place of its regular meetings, but at least one meeting shall be held annually at the commission"s established offices in the city of Charleston. Whenever the convenience of the public or of interested persons may be promoted, or delay or expense may be prevented, the commission may hold meetings at any other place designated by it.
(c) The commission shall report in writing to the Governor on or before August 31 of each year. The report shall contain a summary of the commission"s proceedings during the preceding fiscal year, a detailed and itemized statement of all revenue received, and all expenditures made by or on behalf of the commission, such other information which may be necessary or useful, and any additional information which may be requested by the Governor. The fiscal year of the commission shall conform to the fiscal year of the state.
(d) An office shall be established and maintained by the commission in the city of Charleston.
(a) A director of aeronautics shall be appointed by the commission, with the advice and consent of the Secretary of Transportation, who shall serve for an indefinite term at the pleasure of the commission. The director shall be appointed with due regard to his or her fitness as an administrator. The director shall devote his or her time to the duties of his or her office as required and prescribed by this article and may not have any pecuniary interest in, or any stock in, or bonds of, any civil aeronautical enterprise. The Secretary of Transportation, in consultation with the commission, shall determine the director"s compensation. The compensation shall conform in general to the compensation received by persons occupying positions of similar importance and responsibility with other agencies of this state. The director"s compensation may not be paid, in whole or in part, from grant funds received by the commission. The director shall be reimbursed for all traveling and other expenses incurred by him or her in the discharge of his or her official duties in accordance with state travel rules. The director shall be the executive officer of the commission and under its supervision shall administer the provisions of this article and the rules and orders established thereunder and all applicable laws of the state. The director shall attend, but not vote, at all meetings of the commission. The director serves as the secretary of the commission and is in charge of its offices and responsible to the commission for the preparation of reports and the collection and dissemination of data and other public information relating to aeronautics. At the direction of the commission, the director is authorized to execute contracts entered into by the commission which are legally authorized and for which funds are provided in any state or federal appropriations act.
(b) The commission may, by written order filed in its office, delegate to the director any of the powers or duties vested or imposed upon it by this article. Any delegated powers and duties may be exercised by the director in the name of the commission. The commission may also employ any necessary administrative, engineering, technical, and clerical staff.
The commission, out of any appropriation made to it by the Legislature or out of any funds at its disposal, may make funds available by grant or otherwise to counties, municipalities, and regional airport authorities, created under the provisions of chapter eight of this code, for the planning, acquisition, construction, improvement, maintenance, or operation of airports owned or operated or to be owned or operated by such counties, municipalities, or regional airport authorities. Acceptance of any moneys so made available to any such county, municipality, or regional airport authority, shall constitute consent by the recipient that a reasonable use of the airport may be made, upon request of the commission, by the United States government, the state, or any of their respective agencies, including the State Aeronautics Commission and the National Guard of West Virginia for state purposes related or incidental to aeronautics.
(a) The commission is authorized to accept federal aid either outright or by way of matching funds, in whole or in part, as may be required by the federal government. When matching funds are available to the commission, they may be used in compliance with the provisions of the laws and regulations of the United States for the expenditure of federal moneys for airports and other air navigation facilities.
(b) The commission is authorized to accept and receive federal moneys and other moneys, either public or private, for and on behalf of this state, or any municipality thereof, for the planning, acquisition, construction, improvement, maintenance, and operation of airports and other air navigation facilities. The funds may be expended regardless of whether the work is to be done by the state or a municipality, or jointly. If the funds are from the United States, they shall be expended upon such terms and conditions as are or may be prescribed by the laws of the United States and any rules or regulations made thereunder. The commission is hereby designated as the agency of the state, and is authorized to and may act as agent of any municipality of this state upon the request of such municipality, in accepting and receiving moneys on its behalf for airports or other air navigation facility purposes, and in contracting for the planning, acquisition, construction, improvement, maintenance, or operation of airports or other air navigation facilities, financed, either in whole or in part, by federal moneys. A municipality is authorized to and may enter into an agreement with the commission prescribing the terms and conditions of such agency in accordance with federal laws, rules, and regulations and with this article. All moneys paid by the United States government shall be retained by the state or paid to said municipalities under such terms and conditions as may be imposed by the United States government in making such grants.
(c) All contracts for the planning, acquisition, construction, improvement, maintenance, and operation of airports, or other air navigation facilities made by the commission, either as the agent of the state or as the agent of any municipality therein, shall be made pursuant to the laws of this state governing the making of like contracts: Provided, That where the planning, acquisition, construction, improvement, maintenance, and operation of any airport or other air navigation facility is financed wholly or partially with federal moneys, the commission, as agent of the state or of any municipality thereof, may let contracts in the manner prescribed by the federal authorities, acting under the laws of the United States, and any rules or regulations made thereunder, notwithstanding any other state law to the contrary.
(d) All moneys accepted for disbursement by the commission pursuant to this section shall be deposited in the State Treasury, and, unless otherwise prescribed by the authority from which the money is received, kept in separate funds, designated according to the purposes for which the moneys were made available, and held by the state in trust for such purposes. All such moneys are hereby appropriated for the purposes for which they were made available and shall be expended in accordance with federal laws and regulations and this article. The commission is authorized, whether acting for this state or as the agent of any municipality therein, when requested by the United States government or any agency or department thereof, or when requested by the state or municipality for which the money has been made available, to disburse such moneys for the designated purposes, but this shall not preclude any other authorized method of disbursement.
(e) The state or any municipality therein is authorized to cooperate with the government of the United States, and any agency or department thereof, in the acquisition, construction, improvement, maintenance, and operation of airports and other air navigation facilities in this state and is authorized to accept federal aid, either by way of outright grant or by matching the funds, in whole or in part, as may be required, and to comply with the provisions of the laws of the United States and any rules or regulations made thereunder for the expenditure of federal moneys upon such airports and other navigation facilities.
(a) The commission is authorized on behalf of and in the name of the state, out of appropriations and other moneys made available for such purposes, to plan, establish, construct, maintain, and operate airports and air navigation facilities within the state. For these purposes the commission may, by purchase, gift, devise, lease, condemnation, or otherwise, acquire such property, real or personal, as is necessary to permit safe and efficient operation of the airports and air navigation facilities. In like manner, the commission may acquire existing airports and air navigation facilities: Provided, That it shall not acquire or take over any airport or air navigation facility owned or controlled by a municipality of this or any other state without the consent of the municipality. The commission may by sale, lease, or otherwise, dispose of any such property, airport, air navigation facility, or portion thereof or interest therein. Any disposal by lease shall be made pursuant to the terms of §8-28-7 of this code. Any disposal by sale or otherwise shall be in accordance with the laws of this state governing the disposition of other property of the state, except that in the case of disposal to any municipality or state government or the United States for aeronautical purposes incident thereto the sale or other disposal may be effected in such manner and upon such terms as the commission determines are in the best interest of the state.
(b) Nothing contained in this article shall be construed to limit any right, power, or authority of the state or a municipality to regulate airport hazards by zoning.
(c) The commission may exercise any powers granted by this section jointly with any municipalities or agencies of the state government, with other states or their municipalities, or with the United States.
(d) In the condemnation of property authorized by this section, the commission shall proceed in the name of the state in the manner provided by §54-1-1, et seq. of this code.
Acts, 2019 Reg. Sess., Ch. 130.
(E) He or she has an alcohol concentration in his or her blood of four hundredths of one percent or more, by weight; and
(2) When so operating an aircraft does any act forbidden by law or fails to perform any duty imposed by law in the operation of such aircraft, which act or failure proximately causes bodily injury to any person other than himself or herself, is guilty of a felony, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be imprisoned in the penitentiary for a definite term of imprisonment of not less than one year nor more than five years, or in the discretion of the court, be confined in jail not more than one year and be fined not more than $500.
(E) He or she has an alcohol concentration in his or her blood of four hundredths of one percent or more, by weight;
(j) When any person is convicted of violating any provision of this section, the clerk of the court in which such conviction is had shall, within seventy-two hours after receipt thereof, transmit a true copy thereof to the federal aviation administration.
No person shall operate or cause or authorize to be operated any aircraft within this state unless such aircraft has an appropriate effective certificate, permit or license issued by the United States, if such certificate, permit or license is required by the United States; nor shall any person engage in aeronautics as an airman in this state unless he or she has an appropriate effective airman certificate, permit, rating or license issued by the United States authorizing him or her to engage in the particular class of aeronautics in which he or she is engaged, if such certificate, permit, rating or license is required by the United States.
Where a certificate, permit, rating or license is required for an airman by the United States, it shall be kept in his or her personal possession when he or she is operating within this state and shall be presented for inspection upon the demand of any law enforcement officer, or any official, manager or person in charge of any airport upon which the airman shall land, or upon the reasonable request of any other person. Where a certificate, permit or license is required by the United States for an aircraft, it shall be carried in the aircraft at all times while the aircraft is operating in the state, shall be conspicuously posted in the aircraft where it may readily be seen by passengers or inspectors, and shall be presented for inspection upon the demand of any law enforcement officer, or any official, manager or person in charge of any airport upon which the aircraft shall land, or upon the reasonable request of any person.
It shall be the duty of all law enforcement officers, to enforce and assist in the enforcement of this article and all other laws of this state relating to aeronautics. Law enforcement officers are authorized to inspect and examine at reasonable hours any aircraft, the credentials of any airman or other person engaged in aeronautics required by the laws of this state or of the United States to have in his or her possession credentials evidencing his or her authority or permission to engage in aeronautics, any premises and the buildings and other structures thereon, where airports, air navigation facilities or other aeronautical activities are operated or conducted.