Section 6-3-20.1. Management, ownership, or control of airports by foreign citizens or businesses with substantial foreign ownership prohibited

   (a) As used in this Code section, the term:

   (1) "Airport" means the real and personal property constituting an airport as a complete entity or unit, and the management, operation, or control of an airport means the overall management, operation, or control of the airport as a complete entity or unit.

   (2) "Business entity with a substantial foreign ownership" means any business entity in which 25 percent or more of the equity in such business entity is owned by persons or other business entities that are not citizens of the United States.

   (3) "Citizen of the United States" means any individual person who is a citizen of the United States and any business entity incorporated or having its principal place of business in the United States, but the term shall not include any business entity with a substantial foreign ownership.

   (4) "Person" means an individual person.

(b) No county, municipality, or other political subdivision and no public authority owning or controlling an airport shall sell, lease, or otherwise contract with any person or business entity which is not a citizen of the United States or with any business entity with a substantial foreign ownership to have such person or business entity manage, operate, own, or control such airport.

(c) The provisions of subsection (b) of this Code section shall not prevent or be construed to prevent any person who is not a citizen of the United States or any business entity with a substantial foreign ownership from leasing or purchasing portions of any airport for the purpose of conducting such person's or entity's lawful business thereon or from leasing or subleasing portions of any airport for the purpose of allowing any other such person or entity to conduct its lawful business thereon.

Code 1981, § 6-3-20.1, enacted by Ga. L. 1988, p. 1845, § 1.