§2.1. Louisiana Advanced Aviation and Drone Advisory Committee

            A. There is hereby created within the Department of Transportation and Development the Louisiana Advanced Aviation and Drone Advisory Committee.

            B.(1) The secretary of the Department of Transportation and Development shall create the Louisiana Advanced Aviation and Drone Advisory Committee and it shall be comprised of fifteen members. The members shall be selected by the following individuals as a means of representing a diverse set of stakeholders involved in the deployment and advancement of drone technologies in the state. The committee shall provide recommendations to the secretary of the Department of Transportation and Development as well as both the House Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works and the Senate Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works on policy and regulatory issues related to the adoption of drone technologies.

            (2) The members shall be appointed by the following groups or individuals:

            (a) One member selected by the governor.

            (b) One member selected by the chairman of the Senate Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works.

            (c) One member selected by the chairman of the House Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works.

            (d) One member selected by the secretary of the Department of Transportation and Development.

            (e) One member from the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation appointed by the president of the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation.

            (f) One member from the DRONERESPONDERS Public Safety Alliance appointed by the director of the DRONERESPONDERS Public Safety Alliance.

            (g) One member from the Louisiana Society of Professional Surveyors appointed by the president of the Louisiana Society of Professional Surveyors.

            (h) One member from the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association appointed by the board of directors of the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association.

            (i) One member selected by the president of the Senate.

            (j) One member selected by the speaker of the House of Representatives.

            (k) One member from the Pelican Chapter of the Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International appointed by the chairman of the Pelican Chapter of the Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International.

            (l) One member from the Fletcher Technical Community College appointed by the chancellor of the Fletcher Technical Community College.

            (m) One member from the Nicholls State University appointed by the president of Nicholls State University.

            (n) One member from the Louisiana Airport Managers and Associates appointed by the board of the Louisiana Airport Managers and Associates.

            (o) One member from the Houma-Terrebonne Airport Commission appointed by the commission.

            C. The Louisiana Advanced Aviation and Drone Advisory Committee shall meet at least four times per year starting in August of 2021. Appointments to the committee shall be made no later than July 31, 2021. The term of the appointments shall cease at the end of the 2022 Regular Session of the Legislature, at which time new appointments shall be made and end after the 2026 Regular Session of the Legislature. If a member resigns from the committee, the member shall be replaced by the individual responsible for their nomination.

            D. The members of the Louisiana Advanced Aviation and Drone Advisory Committee shall serve without compensation. The department shall provide support and resources to the committee solely for the preparation of committee agendas and minutes.

            E.(1) At least thirty days prior to the start of each legislative session, the committee shall issue a report about the state of the unmanned aircraft system and unmanned aerial system industry in Louisiana that includes all of the following:

            (a) Any legal barriers operators face.

            (b) Approximately how many operators are operating in the state.

            (c) Any companies using unmanned aircraft systems and unmanned aerial systems for commercial purposes.

            (d) The economic value of the industry in the state.

            (e) The ranking of Louisiana in comparison to other states in terms of the development of its own industry.

            (f) The actions taken by the Federal Aviation Administration over the previous year relative to unmanned aircraft systems and unmanned aerial systems.

            (2) The committee shall examine the potential impact of drone highways for the first report.

            F. The Louisiana Advanced Aviation and Drone Advisory Committee shall by majority vote of a quorum of members present at a meeting appoint one member of the committee to serve as a liaison with the Federal Aviation Administration to address any issues with federal, state, and local laws governing unmanned aircraft systems and unmanned aerial systems.

            Acts 2021, No. 328, §1; Acts 2023, No. 169, §1.