What's happening
This bill bans using ADS-B flight data to charge aircraft owners fees in New York State.
Why it matters
Impacts small aircraft owners and pilots across New York State. by specifically protecting those operating planes under 12,500 pounds (typically general aviation, not commercial airlines) from being charged fees based on their publicly broadcast flight data, which is a growing practice in some regions.
Prevents both government and private companies. from using ADS-B flight tracking data to calculate, generate, or collect usage or landing fees, representing a significant change that could reduce operational costs and administrative burdens for private and recreational pilots.
Maintains public safety and regulatory compliance. by explicitly allowing use of ADS-B data for air traffic control, safety, search and rescue, accident investigations, and law enforcement (with a warrant or in emergencies), ensuring the ban does not interfere with critical or federally mandated uses of flight information.
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Who cares
General Aviation Aircraft Owners/Operators
Small aircraft owners (with aircraft ≤12,500 lbs under Part 91) will care because the bill prohibits new fees based on their broadcast ADS-B data, potentially saving them money and protecting privacy.
Aviation Data Aggregators/Private Tech Companies
Businesses that collect, analyze, or sell ADS-B data for commercial purposes may be negatively affected, as the bill blocks monetization of this data for the purpose of charging fees to operators.
Aviation Advocacy and Privacy Groups
Organizations concerned with pilot privacy and surveillance will be interested, as the law restricts use of broadcast flight information for fee-based tracking, except for safety, law enforcement, and regulatory compliance.
State/Local Government Agencies
Agencies that might consider using ADS-B data for fee collection or regulatory enforcement within New York will be restricted by this bill and must ensure compliance with the new limitations.
Headline styles
Ban Sale of Flight Data
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to consumer affairs and protection
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Ban Selling Aircraft Tracking Data
In Senate Committee · Transportation · Sponsor John Liu
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
11568
IN ASSEMBLY
June 2, 2026
Introduced by COMMITTEE ON RULES -- (at request of M. of A. Vanel) -read once and referred to the Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection
AN ACT to amend the general business law, in relation to prohibiting the monetization of ADS-B information
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The general business law is amended by adding a new section 251-d to read as follows:
§ 251-d. Automatic dependent surveillance-broadcasts. 1. As used in this section:
(a) "Automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast" means an advanced aviation surveillance technology that combines an aircraft's positioning source, aircraft avionics, and a ground infrastructure to create an accurate surveillance interface between an aircraft and air traffic control. The term consists of two different services, ADS-B In and ADS-B Out, that can provide information, such as an aircraft's global positioning system location, altitude, ground speed, and other data, to ground stations and other aircraft, as well as weather and traffic information to aircraft operators.
(b) "Aircraft" means any contrivance now known, or hereafter invented, used or designed for navigation of, or flight in, the air, except that the aircraft must have a gross weight of 12,500 pounds or less and operate under Title 14, part 91, Code of Federal Regulations.
2. No entity, whether a division of government or a private company or corporation, may use information broadcast or collected by automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast systems, whether that data originates from ADS-B In or ADS-B Out, as a means for calculating, generating, and collecting fees from aircraft owners or operators who operate aircraft within the geographic boundaries of the state.
3. This section shall not prohibit the use of automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast data for air traffic control, aviation safety, search and rescue operations, accident investigation, law enforcement use pursuant to a warrant or under exigent circumstances as otherwise permitted by law, or compliance with federal aviation regulations.
§ 2. This act shall take effect January 1, 2027.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD15771-01-6
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.