The Georgia Aviation Authority would be all but dismantled under a bill passed Tuesday by the state Senate.
Senate Bill 339 would return the control of aircraft and aviation staff to both the state Department of Natural Resources and the Georgia Forestry Commission. Both agencies lost them in 2009 during a move to centralize the state’s flight operations. The move, which created the aviation authority, was championed by then-Gov. Sonny Perdue as a money saver.
It never caught on. Lawmakers stripped it of its primary duty last year to assist law enforcement agencies with aerial support during emergencies.
SB 339 is sponsored by Sen. Butch Miller, R-Gainesville, who is one of Gov. Nathan Deal's floor leaders. It is a direct response to Deal's call last month to privatize the state's aviation services.
The bill passed on a 50-5 vote. It now goes to the House for consideration.
About the Author
