Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday signed legislation restricting how airports can use automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) data to assess fees. The law is currently set to take effect July 1.
The bill, SB 422, prohibits airports from using ADS-B information to calculate or collect charges tied to landings, departures or entry into a defined airspace radius for certain aircraft. The restriction applies to aircraft weighing 12,499 pounds or less operating under Part 91 rules.
The measure was introduced by Sen. Tom Wright and advanced through multiple committees before passing both chambers by large margins.
“Not only will this go a long way to protect the privacy of pilots, but it also ensures this safety-enhancing tool is only used for its intended purpose,” AOPA Southern Regional Manager Stacey Heaton said before the bill was signed.
The signing comes amid broader scrutiny of ADS-B-based fee programs at both the state and federal levels. In Arizona, lawmakers are considering similar legislation that would prohibit the use of ADS-B data for fee assessments, while federal proposals such as the Pilot and Aircraft Privacy Act (PAPA)—as well as the ALERT Act, which includes key provisions from PAPA—aim to limit its use to safety purposes.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford recently commented on the issue, saying that while airports can charge for services, concerns arise when safety equipment is tied to billing.
“If we have people making a bad safety decision to avoid rates and charges, that’s where I think the FAA wants to throw the penalty flag,” Bedford told FLYING, adding that ADS-B is a “critical safety tool.”
