A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to create the commission on aerospace and intelligent transportation.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  Findings. – The General Assembly finds that opportunities exist for North Carolina to build on its rich aviation history, strong university research history, established aviation marketplace, as well as its unique geography for testing. North Carolina also boasts a demographic cross section for market testing that is unique and well‑suited to examine urban and rural mobility needs. The State also has a strong military and National Guard presence, which could prove productive in expediting unmanned flight. The General Assembly recognizes that there are many unknown factors in this new aerospace and intelligent transportation sector.
SECTION 2.  Commission Established. – There is established the Commission on Aerospace and Intelligent Transportation (Commission) to be located administratively in the Department of Transportation, Division of Aviation. However, the Commission shall exercise all its prescribed powers and duties independently of the Department of Transportation.
SECTION 3.  Commission Membership. – The Commission shall consist of the following members:
(1)	The Lieutenant Governor or the Lieutenant Governor's designee.
(2)	Two members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
(3)	Two members of the Senate appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.
(4)	The Secretary of the Department of Commerce or the Secretary's designee.
(5)	The Secretary of the Department of Transportation or the Secretary's designee.
SECTION 4.  Commission Organization. – The Commission shall be organized as follows:
(1)	Chair. – The Lieutenant Governor or the Lieutenant Governor's designee shall serve as Chair of the Commission.
(2)	Staff and consultants. – The Chair of the Commission may, with the approval of the Commission, hire staff and consultants to assist the Commission in performing the Commission's purpose and duties.
(3)	Travel and subsistence. – Members, staff, and consultants of the Commission shall receive travel and subsistence expenses in accordance with the provisions of G.S. 138‑5 and G.S. 138‑6 from funds made available to the Commission.
(4)	Meeting space. – With the approval of the Legislative Services Commission, space in the Legislative Building and the Legislative Office Building may be made available to the Commission.
(5)	Frequency of meetings and quorum. – The Commission shall meet upon the call of the Chair and shall have its first meeting no later than September 1, 2019. The Commission shall meet at least quarterly. A majority of the members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
SECTION 5.  Duties. – The duties of the Commission shall include the following:
(1)	Recommend State goals and a framework for achieving the benchmarks prescribed by the study authorized in Section 6 of this act, and to ensure that by 2021 the appropriate funding and economic development exist in North Carolina to cultivate a culture for aerospace and intelligent transportation.
(2)	The Commission shall review the progress made toward the recommended goals, evaluate the strategies developed and used toward attaining those goals, and may make additional recommendations above and beyond those laid out in the study.
SECTION 6.  Study. – The Commission shall study the following:
(1)	Examine the feasibility and economic impact of creating an eVTOL (Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing) and UAS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) corridor in the State of North Carolina focused on research, development, and commercialization and use the emerging technology to serve the citizens of the State to improve safety, health, and overall well‑being.
(2)	Gather information that is available in the eVTOL and UAS fields, including commercial developments and technology initiatives, to (i) estimate the market potential, (ii) develop a point of view on opportunities, threats, and ecosystem requirements, and (iii) create a strategic advisory group to inform the strategic discussion and direction to assist the State of North Carolina in its approach to compete and win in the next generation of mobility.
(3)	Conduct expert interviews with sector leaders in aviation, telecommunications, first responders, education, health, transportation, fuel technologies, emergency management, military, agriculture, city planning, state planning, and relevant venture capital entities to inform and define value‑creation opportunities.
(4)	Explore suppliers, demand sources (first responders, education, health care, other target industries, and individual citizens), regulatory issues, and current and emerging competitors.
(5)	Consider current trends and forward‑looking insights, with a focus on impact to include the following key areas: legislative or regulatory, suppliers, demand and users, participants, competitors, supporting technologies (such as fuel, connectivity, and vehicles), and infrastructure requirements.
SECTION 7.  Authorization to Contract Vendor to Perform Study. – The Commission may contract with any qualified vendor to perform the study authorized in Section 6 of this act without complying with the provisions of Article 3, Article 3C, and Article 3D of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes or any other provision of law to the contrary.
SECTION 8.  EVTOL Summit. – Based on the findings from the study authorized under Section 6 of this act, the Commission shall by July 31, 2020, organize and implement an eVTOL Summit in North Carolina. The Summit will coordinate with stakeholders who have verified Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proof of concept eVTOL vehicles that meet the criteria of viable vehicles for North Carolina that are recommended in the study.
SECTION 9.  Report. – By October 1, 2020, the Commission shall report the findings from the study required under Section 6 of this act and the eVTOL Summit authorized under Section 8 of this act, including any legislative recommendations, to the chairs of the Joint Legislative Transportation Oversight Committee and the Fiscal Research Division.
SECTION 10.  Funds. – There is appropriated from the Highway Fund to the Department of Transportation the sum of seven hundred fifty thousand dollars ($750,000) in nonrecurring funds for fiscal year 2019‑2020 to be used for the study authorized in Section 6 of this act and the sum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) in nonrecurring funds for fiscal year 2019‑2020 to be used by the Commission to implement the eVTOL Summit and pay for administrative costs, stipends, travel, and public relation costs associated with the Commission's duties.
SECTION 11.  Reversion. – Any unexpended or unencumbered funds in Section 10 of this act shall not revert to the Highway Fund on June 30, 2020, but shall remain available to the Commission for the purposes authorized in this act until November 1, 2020.
SECTION 12.  Effective Date. – This act is effective when it becomes law and expires November 1, 2020.