Originally published in 2002
Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives James E. “Pete” Laney received the 200 I AOPA Hartranft Award for his efforts to preserve general aviation in Central Texas.
This prestigious award, named for the association’s first president, is given annually to the political leader who makes the year’s greatest contribution to the advancement of general aviation. Laney is the twenty-fourth recipient.
A longtime AOPA member, Laney helped engineer legislation requiring establishment of “a state airport in Central Texas that is open to the general public.” He took the action after the 1989 closure of both Robert Mueller Airport and Austin Executive Airport stranded more than 600 general aviation aircraft and left the Austin area without a GA airport.
The bill passed in May 2001 and was signed into law by Governor Rick Perry the following month.