Chapter 513, Laws of 1945, created the Aeronautics Commission. The Commission was responsible for the supervision of aeronautical activities in the state including their promotion and development and coordination of state and federal activities.
Under the reorganization act of 1967, the Commission was merged into the Department of Transportation where it became the Division of Aeronautics. The Commission's powers were then vested in the Secretary of Transportation. The Division of Aeronautics represented the state in the supervision, promotion, and development of all phases of aviation. It encouraged the development of a state-wide system of public-owned airports, promoted aviation education, assisted airport operators in the management of their facilities, formulated and recommended safety regulations for flying, and coordinated the state's aviation interests with those of other states and the federal government. The Commission itself continued as the Council on Aeronautics, an advisory body to the Department of Transportation.
Chapter 29, Laws of 1977, eliminated a statutory requirement for a separate Division of Aeronautics. Following a restructuring of the Department of Transportation in September 1978, the Division of Aeronautics became the Bureau of Aeronautics within the Division of Transportation Assistance. The Bureau manages local aid programs and provides related program and technical services assistance in areas such as aviation safety.
See each Agency's History in the catalog:
