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AB 431

Relating to: special motions to strike strategic lawsuits against public participation. (FE)

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Clint Anderson and 13 co-sponsors

Creates a statewide framework to plan and support AAM infrastructure (vertiports, charging) in California, preempting many local rules to speed safe, equitable deployment.

Representative Vining added as a coauthor
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Bill Summary · AB 431

AB 431 — Advanced Air Mobility Infrastructure Act (summary)

Note: The packet you provided contains two different bills labeled “AB 431.” The primary documents (committee digests and floor documents) concern California’s Advanced Air Mobility Infrastructure Act (sponsored by Wilson). A separate “As Introduced” text in the packet appears to be a different AB 431 (a Nevada bill) about ticket sale/resale and is not related to the California measure summarized below.

Purpose and intent

AB 431 establishes a statewide framework to plan for and support advanced air mobility (AAM) — primarily electric aircraft such as eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) and eCTOL (electric conventional takeoff and landing) — by integrating vertiports, electric aviation charging, and related infrastructure into California’s aviation planning. The bill aims to accelerate safe, equitable, and uniform deployment of AAM services while promoting economic and environmental benefits.

Key provisions

  • Creates the “Advanced Air Mobility Infrastructure Act” by adding Chapter 9 (Sections 21720–21724) to Part 1 of Division 9 of the Public Utilities Code.
  • Definitions: clarifies terms including “advanced air mobility,” “eVTOL,” “eCTOL,” “powered-lift aircraft” (aligned with federal CFR definition), and “vertiport.”
  • Scope: applies only to electric aircraft (eVTOL/eCTOL) and powered-lift aircraft that (a) have gross takeoff weight ≥ 300 pounds or (b) can carry humans or equivalent cargo.
  • State planning and support duties for the Department of Transportation (Caltrans):
    • Develop or update the statewide aviation plan/work plan to include vertiports, electric aviation charging, and other AAM infrastructure needs.
    • Designate a subject-matter expert for AAM within the department to assist local/regional jurisdictions.
    • Lead a statewide education campaign for local and regional decisionmakers on benefits and considerations for electric powered-lift aircraft.
    • Provide guidance/guidebook with best practices and technical resources to promote uniform planning and zoning language statewide.
  • Local preemption/limits: generally prohibits political subdivisions (local governments) or entities within them from enacting laws, ordinances, or rules relating to AAM, aircraft ownership, or aerial operation — with specified exceptions (the bill text reserves certain authorities for airport operators and otherwise includes provisions to avoid interfering with FAA authority, federal agencies, and specified airport sponsor/operator rights).
  • Findings: declares AAM infrastructure a matter of statewide concern (applies to all cities, including charter cities).
  • Enforcement and fiscal notes: the chapter is part of the State Aeronautics Act (violations may carry criminal penalties). The bill creates a state-mandated local program but includes a provision stating no state reimbursement is required per specified constitutional/statutory rationale.

Who is affected

  • State agencies: California Department of Transportation (responsible for planning and guidance).
  • Local and regional governments: constrained from adopting local rules on AAM in many respects; will receive state guidance and education.
  • Airport sponsors/operators: retain certain authorities (specific allowances appear in the bill).
  • Industry and developers: AAM manufacturers, vertiport developers, charging infrastructure providers, and service operators will be subject to statewide planning and benefit from uniform standards and reduced local regulatory variation.
  • Communities: potential changes in land use around vertiports and formation of new multimodal transport options.

Procedural status & timeline (selected)

  • Introduced: February 5, 2025.
  • Assembly committee referrals: Transportation; Appropriations (was placed on suspense file at one point).
  • Assembly passage: Read third time and passed Assembly (June 2, 2025; Ayes 79, Noes 0).
  • Referred to Senate; considered in Senate Transportation (documents dated July 3, 2025).
  • Current procedural note in header: “Pursuant to Joint Standing Rule No. 14.3.1, no further action allowed.” (This appears in the provided status summary.)

If you want, I can:
- Pull the specific statutory language for the local-government exceptions and airport-operator authorities (the floor/committee texts were truncated in places), or
- Prepare a short analysis of potential legal and local-government impacts (preemption, planning, criminal/penalty exposure).

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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