THE BILL ITSELF
CS/CS/CS/HB 1177
Spaceport Operations and Space Florida
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A bill to be entitled
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An act relating to spaceport operations and Space
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Florida; amending s. 311.14, F.S.; defining the term
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"strategic spaceport hub"; requiring the governing
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board of certain seaports to coordinate with Space
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Florida for specified purposes; amending s. 331.302,
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F.S.; providing that Space Florida is not an agency
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and is not subject to certain bidding and contract
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procedures under certain conditions; amending s.
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331.3051, F.S.; requiring Space Florida to employ a
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full-time business development director for specified
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purposes; amending s. 331.3081, F.S.; revising
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membership of the Space Florida board of directors;
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providing an effective date.
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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Section 1. Subsection (4) is added to section 311.14,
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Florida Statutes, to read:
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311.14 Seaport planning.—
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(4)(a) For purposes of this subsection, the term
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"strategic spaceport hub" means spaceport territory located
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within 5 miles of a seaport listed in s. 311.09(1) that is used
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for deepwater commercial navigation.
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(b) Before making any change to its strategic plan, the
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governing board of a seaport located within 5 miles of a
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strategic spaceport hub must coordinate with Space Florida to
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ensure that the change does not conflict with Space Florida's
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business plan created pursuant to s. 331.3051. Section 2. Subsection (4) of section 331.302, Florida
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Statutes, is amended to read:
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331.302 Space Florida; creation; purpose.—
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(4)(a) Space Florida is not an agency as defined in ss.
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216.011 and 287.012.
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(b) Space Florida is not an agency as defined in s.
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287.055(2)(b) and is not subject to s. 255.20 when it purchases
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professional services or construction services, or both, using
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nonappropriated state funds. Space Florida must attest in
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writing that such funds are nonappropriated. Section 3. Section 331.3051, Florida Statutes, is amended
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to read:
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331.3051 Duties of Space Florida.—Space Florida must
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shall:
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(1)(a) Create a business plan to foster the growth and
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development of the aerospace industry. The business plan must
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address business development, finance, spaceport operations,
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research and development, workforce development, and education.
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The business plan must be revised when determined as necessary
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by the board.
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(b) Employ a full-time business development director for
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the spaceport territories identified in s. 331.304(2), (3), (6),
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and (7), whose primary focus must be to foster the growth and
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development of spaceport activities, including, but not limited
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to, horizontal launch capability, advanced air mobility, and
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unmanned aerial vehicles.
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(2) Enter into agreement with the Department of Education,
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the Department of Transportation, the Department of Commerce,
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and CareerSource Florida, Inc., for the purpose of implementing
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this act.
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(3) In cooperation with the Department of Commerce,
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develop a plan to retain, expand, attract, and create aerospace
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industry entities, public or private, which results in the
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creation of high-value-added businesses and jobs in this state.
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(4) Create a marketing campaign to help attract, develop,
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and retain aerospace businesses, aerospace research and
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technology, and other related activities in this state. Space
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Florida shall attempt to coordinate the campaign with existing
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economic development promotion efforts in this state and may use
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private resources. Marketing strategies may include developing
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promotional materials, Internet and print advertising, public
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relations and media placement, trade show attendance, and other
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activities.
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(5) Consult with the Florida Tourism Industry Marketing
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Corporation in developing a space tourism marketing plan. Space
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Florida and the Florida Tourism Industry Marketing Corporation
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may enter into a mutually beneficial agreement that provides
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funding to the corporation for its services to implement this
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subsection.
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(6) Develop, in cooperation with the Department of
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Commerce, a plan to provide financing assistance to aerospace
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businesses. The plan may include the following activities:
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(a) Assembling, publishing, and disseminating information
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concerning financing opportunities and techniques for aerospace
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projects, programs, and activities; sources of public and
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private aerospace financing assistance; and sources of
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aerospace-related financing.
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(b) Organizing, hosting, and participating in seminars and
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other forums designed to disseminate information and technical
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assistance regarding aerospace-related financing.
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(c) Coordinating with programs and goals of the Department
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of Defense, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration,
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the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the International
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Trade Administration of the United States Department of
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Commerce, the Foreign Credit Insurance Association, and other
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private and public programs and organizations, domestic and
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foreign.
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(d) Establishing a network of contacts among those
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domestic and foreign public and private organizations that
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provide information, technical assistance, and financial support
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to the aerospace industry.
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(e) Financing aerospace business development projects or
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initiatives using funds provided by the Legislature.
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(7) Carry out its responsibilities for spaceport
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operations by:
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(a) Seeking federal support and developing partnerships to
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renew and upgrade the infrastructure and technologies at the
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Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the John F. Kennedy Space
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Center, and the Eastern Range that will enhance space and
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military programs of the Federal Government, and improve access
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for commercial launch activities.
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(b) Supporting federal efforts to clarify roles and
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responsibilities of federal agencies and eliminate duplicative
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federal rules and policies, in an effort to streamline access
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for commercial launch users.
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(c) Pursuing the development of commercial spaceports in
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the state, in addition to those defined in s. 331.304, through a
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competitive request for proposals in partnership with counties
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or municipalities, the Federal Government, or private entities.
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(d) Promoting and facilitating launch activity within the
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state by supporting and assisting commercial launch operators in
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completing and submitting required documentation and gaining
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approvals and authorization from the required federal agencies
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for launching from Florida.
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(e) Consulting regularly with the appropriate federal,
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state, and local authorities, including the National Aeronautics
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and Space Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration,
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the Department of Defense, the Department of Transportation, the
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Florida National Guard, and industry on all aspects of
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establishing and operating spaceport infrastructure and related
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aerospace facilities within the state.
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(8) Carry out its responsibility for research and
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development by:
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(a) Contracting for the operations of the state's Space
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Life Sciences Laboratory.
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(b) Working in collaboration with one or more public or
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private universities and other public or private entities to
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foster and promote the research necessary to develop
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commercially promising, advanced, and innovative science and
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technology and transfer those discoveries to the commercial
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sector. This may include developing a proposal to establish a
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Center of Excellence for Aerospace.
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(c) Supporting universities in this state that are members
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of the Federal Aviation Administration's Center of Excellence
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for Commercial Space Transportation to assure a safe,
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environmentally compatible, and efficient commercial space
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transportation system in this state.
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(9) Carry out its responsibility for workforce development
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by coordinating with CareerSource Florida, Inc., community
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colleges, colleges, public and private universities, and other
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public and private partners to develop a plan to retain, train,
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and retrain workers, from entry-level skills training through to
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technician-level, and 4-year degrees and higher, with the skills
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most relevant to aerospace employers.
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(10) Carry out its responsibility for creating innovative
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education programs by funding programs developed in conjunction
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with the Department of Education that target grades K-20 in an
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effort to promote mathematics and science education programs,
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which may include the Florida-NASA Matching Grant Program,
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aerospace-focused education programs for teachers, education-
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oriented microgravity flight programs for teachers and students,
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and Internet-based aerospace education. Funds appropriated and
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any in-kind or private sector contributions may be used to carry
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out innovative education programs. Funding levels shall be
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determined by the Space Florida board of directors. In its
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annual report, Space Florida shall include, at a minimum, a
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description of programs funded, the number of students served,
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and private sector support.
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(11) Regularly solicit input on Space Florida plans and
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activities from the aerospace industry, private sector spaceport
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territory stakeholders, each entity that owns or has ownership
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interest in a facility within spaceport territory, and other
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political subdivisions within spaceport territory.
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(12) Partner with the Board of Governors to foster
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technological advancement and economic development for spaceport
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activities by strengthening higher education programs and
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supporting aerospace activities.
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(13) Partner with the Division of Workforce Services of
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the Department of Commerce, CareerSource Florida, Inc., and
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local workforce development boards to support initiatives that
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address the high technology skills and staff resources needed to
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better promote the state's efforts in becoming the nation's
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leader in aerospace and space exploration.
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(14) Partner with the Metropolitan Planning Organization
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Advisory Council to coordinate and specify how aerospace
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planning and programming will be part of the state's cooperative
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transportation planning process.
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(15) Administer the International Aerospace Innovation
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Fund established under s. 331.372.
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(16) By October 1, 2023, and each year thereafter, submit
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to the Department of Commerce for inclusion in the annual report
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required under s. 20.60 a complete and detailed written report
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setting forth:
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(a) Its operations and accomplishments during the fiscal
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year.
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(b) Accomplishments and progress concerning the
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implementation of the spaceport master plan and other measurable
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goals, and any updates to such plan and measurable goals.
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(c) Any other information required by the Department of
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Commerce.
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(17)(a) In addition to the reporting requirements in
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chapter 189, annually report on its performance with respect to
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its business plan, to include finance, spaceport operations,
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research and development, workforce development, and education.
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(b) Space Florida shall submit the report to the Governor,
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the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
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Representatives by November 30 for the previous fiscal year.
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(c) The annual report must include operations information
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as required under s. 331.310(2)(e) and data on the economic
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impact of the aerospace industry in the state during the
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previous year, including, but not limited to, the amount and
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sources of capital investment, the number of jobs created and
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retained, and annualized average wages, listed by geographic
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areas within the state as specified by the board.
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Section 4. Paragraph (e) of subsection (1) of section 331.3081, Florida Statutes, is redesignated as paragraph (f) and
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amended, and a new paragraph (e) is added to that section, to
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read:
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331.3081 Board of directors.—
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(1) Space Florida shall be governed by an independent
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board of directors that consists of the Governor, who shall
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serve ex officio, or who may appoint a designee to serve, as the
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chair and a voting member of the board, and the following
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appointed members:
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(e) A representative of the Jacksonville Aviation
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Authority, appointed by the Governor.
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(f)(e) A representative of each of the following entities,
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who shall serve as an ex officio, nonvoting member of the board,
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appointed by the Governor:
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1. The Jacksonville Aviation Authority.
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1.2. The Titusville-Cocoa Airport Authority.
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2.3. An employee or official of a port district or port
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authority as defined in s. 315.02(2).
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Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.