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Enrolled HCR 17: Supporting the aviation industry; and urging the governor to make state-owned land available to the unmanned aircraft systems industry for the management and operation of unmanned aircraft systems and related research, manufacturing, testing, and training.

00Enrolled HCR 17 01 Supporting the aviation industry; and urging the governor to make state-owned land available 02 to the unmanned aircraft systems industry for the management and operation of unmanned 03 aircraft systems and related research, manufacturing, testing, and training. 04 _______________ 05 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 06 WHEREAS the overall health of the economy of the United States is highly 07 dependent on the aviation industry; and 08 WHEREAS the civil aviation industry annually creates approximately 5.4 percent of 09 the gross domestic product in the United States and contributes approximately 10 $1,500,000,000,000 to the economy nationwide; and 11 WHEREAS the aviation industry generates more than 11,800,000 jobs, with 12 estimated total employment-related earnings of $459,000,000,000; and 13 WHEREAS the state anticipates 173 new jobs in the unmanned aircraft systems 14 industry that would generate approximately $9,400,000 in employment-related earnings and 15 an additional 175 jobs indirectly created by the unmanned aircraft systems industry that would

01 bring $10,600,000 of employment-related earnings into the state's economy, as identified in 02 the McDowell Group's May 2013 report for the Alaska Center for Unmanned Aircraft 03 Systems Integration at University of Alaska Fairbanks; and 04 WHEREAS the aviation industry enables the economic benefits of tourism, shipping, 05 and travel for business or recreational purposes; and 06 WHEREAS ongoing development and implementation of unmanned aircraft systems 07 technologies, policies, and procedures will support continuing economic growth in the 08 aviation industry; and 09 WHEREAS the aviation industry affects the economies of large and small 10 communities across the United States; and 11 WHEREAS the use and regulation of unmanned aircraft systems must be integrated 12 with the use and regulation of manned aircraft systems to ensure that all aircraft can safely 13 navigate national airspace; and 14 WHEREAS the state owns approximately 27 percent of the state's landmass, and the 15 landmass of the state makes up approximately 20 percent of the landmass of the United 16 States; therefore, the state owns approximately five percent of the landmass of the United 17 States; and 18 WHEREAS the state can support the growth of the unmanned aircraft systems 19 industry and the advancement of unmanned aircraft systems technology by facilitating the use 20 or purchase of land by the unmanned aircraft systems industry for the purpose of research, 21 manufacturing, testing, training, management, and operation; 22 BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature supports the economic growth 23 of the unmanned aircraft systems industry in the state and encourages the establishment of 24 safe and responsible unmanned aircraft systems businesses in the state; and be it 25 FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature urges the governor to 26 make state-owned land available to responsible designers, owners, developers, and operators 27 of commercial unmanned aircraft systems to use for research, manufacturing, testing, training, 28 management, and operation of those systems.