Authority: Title 5.1, Chapter 1, Code of Virginia.
A. The Director, Department of Aviation, shall prepare general guidelines regarding aircraft acquisition and use that shall include a requirement for state agencies to develop written policies on usage, charge rates and record-keeping. The Director shall examine the aircraft needs of state agencies and determine the most efficient and effective method of organizing and managing the Commonwealth's aircraft operations. The Director shall implement the aircraft management system he determines to be most suitable and revise it periodically as the need arises.
B. The Virginia Aviation Board and the Department of Aviation may obligate funds in excess of the current biennium appropriation for aviation financial assistance programs supported by the Commonwealth Transportation Fund provided 1) sufficient cash is available to cover projected costs in each year and 2) sufficient revenues are projected to meet all cash obligations for new obligations as well as all other commitments and appropriations approved by the General Assembly in the biennial budget.
C.1. Notwithstanding § 33.2-1526.6, Code of Virginia, six percent of the funds in the Commonwealth Aviation Fund shall be allocated as entitlement funds to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA).
2.a. In fiscal year 2026, of the amounts remaining in the Commonwealth Aviation Fund after the distribution to MWAA pursuant to paragraph C.1., 50 percent of said funds shall be allocated as entitlement funds to commercial service airport sponsors other than MWAA, based upon the percentage of enplanements for each airport to total enplanements at all commercial airports that are not owned or leased by MWAA. No commercial service airport sponsor shall receive more than twenty-five percent or less than eight percent of the funds made available under this paragraph.
b. For the first six months of fiscal year 2026, of the amounts remaining in the Commonwealth Aviation Fund after the distribution to MWAA pursuant to paragraph C.1., (i) 40 percent of the funds shall be allocated by the Virginia Aviation Board for commercial service and regional business airports on a discretionary basis, except airports owned or leased by MWAA, and (ii) 10 percent of the funds made available shall be allocated by the Virginia Aviation Board for community business and local service airports on a discretionary basis.
c. For the second six months of fiscal year 2026, all remaining funds after the allocation pursuant to paragraph C.2.b. shall be allocated by the Virginia Aviation Board for all eligible airports on a discretionary basis, except airports owned or leased by MWAA.
3. The Department of Aviation shall, by November 1, 2025, submit a report of the amounts each airport in the Commonwealth is to receive under the updated allocations pursuant to paragraphs C.1. through C.2. of this item to the Chairs of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees. The report shall also include previous allocations of the Commonwealth Aviation Fund to each airport in the Commonwealth dating back to fiscal year 2020. The report shall include recommendations on how to best allocate Commonwealth Aviation Funds in future years to ensure the financial health of all airports in the Commonwealth.