§4-3-41. Authority and procedure for incorporation; reincorporation of existing airport authorities.

(a) Pursuant to the provisions of this article, airport authorities may be organized as public corporations with the powers set forth in this article. To organize such a corporation, not less than three natural persons shall file with the governing body of any county or any municipality an application in writing for permission to incorporate a public corporation under the provisions of this article and shall attach to such application a proposed form of certificate of incorporation for such corporation. If each governing body with which the application is filed shall adopt a resolution (which need not be published or posted) approving the form of such certificate of incorporation and authorizing the formation of such a public corporation, then said applicants shall become the incorporators of and shall proceed to incorporate the authority as a public corporation in the manner provided in this article, using for that purpose the form of the certificate so approved.

(b) Any existing public airport authority created pursuant to any legislative act other than the provisions of this article may be reincorporated under this article, avail itself of all rights, powers and privileges and become subject to all duties, obligations and responsibilities conferred or imposed by this article, in the following manner:

(1) The board of directors or other governing body of such public airport authority shall adopt a resolution stating that it proposes and applies for permission to reincorporate hereunder and containing a form of proposed certificate of reincorporation, which said certificate of reincorporation shall include, with the necessary changes in detail, the information required to be included in a certificate of incorporation described in Section 4-3-42, other than that referred to in subdivision (1) thereof.

(2) Such public airport authority shall, as promptly as practicable thereafter, file a certified copy of such resolution with the governing body of each county or municipality authorizing the formation of such public airport authority; and each such county and municipality shall be deemed an authorizing subdivision with respect to any such public airport authority reincorporated hereunder.

(3) The governing body of each authorizing subdivision shall, as promptly as may be practicable after the filing of said certified resolution, review and act upon the said resolution and application in the manner prescribed in subdivision (1) of this section, with such changes in detail as may be necessary.

(4) The chairman, or other principal officer, and the secretary of such public airport authority shall thereupon sign and acknowledge the said certificate of reincorporation, and cause it to be filed for record in the office of the judge of probate specified in Section 4-3-43. The judge of probate shall forthwith receive and record the said certificate.

(5) The existence of such public airport authority as an authority under this article shall begin upon the filing of the said certificate of reincorporation as provided for in this section.

No such reincorporation shall in any manner affect the rights of creditors or the rights or liabilities of the public airport authority existing at the time of such reincorporation, nor shall such reincorporated public authority be required to apply for or obtain any license, permit, franchise, right-of-way, consent or approval from any governmental authority previously obtained by such public airport authority, any provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding. With respect to any public airport authority reincorporated hereunder, any reference herein to a certificate of incorporation thereof shall also include and refer to its certificate of reincorporation. As used herein, the term public airport authority means any public authority, public corporation or public association or entity organized by or with the consent of any county or municipality, or any two or more thereof, having the power to own or operate any airport facilities.

(Acts 1977, No. 331, p. 433, §2; Acts 1991, No. 91-268, p. 499, §1.)