THE BILL ITSELF
SB 916
Spaceport Operations
Florida Senate - 2026 SB 916 By Senator Mayfield 19-00721B-26 2026916__
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A bill to be entitled
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An act relating to spaceport operations; amending s.
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331.303, F.S.; defining the terms “quintimodal
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transportation hub” and “spaceport director or
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commander”; amending s. 331.3051, F.S.; requiring
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Space Florida, in coordination with specified
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entities, to enhance and promote the development and
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use of quintimodal transportation hubs in this state;
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creating s. 331.3052, F.S.; providing powers and
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duties of spaceport operators; providing construction;
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amending ss. 330.41, 331.310, and 692.201, F.S.;
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conforming cross-references; providing an effective
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date.
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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Section 1. Subsections (15) through (17) and (18) through
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(21) of section 331.303, Florida Statutes, are renumbered as
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subsections (16) through (18) and (20) through (23),
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respectively, and new subsections (15) and (19) are added to
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that section to read:
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331.303 Definitions.—
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(15) “Quintimodal transportation hub” means a spaceport
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territory within which interconnected transportation facilities
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are available to move people or property by means of road,
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railroad, airport, seaport, and spaceport facilities.
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(19) “Spaceport director or commander” means the individual
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designated by the governing body, agency, or military authority
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of a spaceport territory to administer the operations,
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maintenance, safety, and local agreements of that facility.
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Section 2. Subsections (16) and (17) of section 331.3051,
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Florida Statutes, are renumbered as subsections (17) and (18),
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respectively, and a new subsection (16) is added to that section
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to read:
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331.3051 Duties of Space Florida.—Space Florida shall:
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(16) In coordination with the Department of Transportation,
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metropolitan planning organizations, and local governments,
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enhance and promote the development and use of quintimodal
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transportation hubs in this state.
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Section 3. Section 331.3052, Florida Statutes, is created
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to read:
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331.3052 Powers and duties of spaceport operators.—
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(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this part,
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authority over the operational oversight, management, and day
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to-day administration of each spaceport shall be vested in the
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spaceport director or commander for that facility.
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(2) Space Florida shall be responsible for statewide
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strategic planning, financing, economic development, and
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intergovernmental coordination, but may not exercise direct
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control over local operational decisions unless:
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(a) Specifically requested in writing by the spaceport
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director or commander; or
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(b) Required to comply with applicable federal law or
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regulation.
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(3) Each spaceport shall develop and maintain an
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operational governance plan consistent with Space Florida’s
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statewide strategic plan. Such plan must be submitted annually
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to Space Florida, but is not subject to approval by Space
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Florida.
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(4) This section does not diminish Space Florida’s
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authority to finance, lease, or own spaceport facilities or to
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coordinate economic development initiatives across multiple
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spaceport territories.
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Section 4. Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section
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330.41, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
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330.41 Unmanned Aircraft Systems Act.—
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(2) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this act, the term:
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(b) “Critical infrastructure facility” means any of the
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following, if completely enclosed by a fence or other physical
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barrier that is obviously designed to exclude intruders, or if
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clearly marked with a sign or signs which indicate that entry is
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forbidden and which are posted on the property in a manner
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reasonably likely to come to the attention of intruders:
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1. A power generation or transmission facility, substation,
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switching station, or electrical control center.
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2. A chemical or rubber manufacturing or storage facility.
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3. A water intake structure, water treatment facility,
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wastewater treatment plant, or pump station.
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4. A mining facility.
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5. A natural gas or compressed gas compressor station,
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storage facility, or natural gas or compressed gas pipeline.
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6. A liquid natural gas or propane gas terminal or storage
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facility.
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7. Any portion of an aboveground oil or gas pipeline.
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8. A refinery.
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9. A gas processing plant, including a plant used in the
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processing, treatment, or fractionation of natural gas.
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10. A wireless or wired communications facility, including
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the tower, antennas, support structures, and all associated
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ground-based equipment.
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11. A seaport as listed in s. 311.09(1), which need not be
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completely enclosed by a fence or other physical barrier and
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need not be marked with a sign or signs indicating that entry is
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forbidden.
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12. An inland port or other facility or group of facilities
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serving as a point of intermodal transfer of freight in a
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specific area physically separated from a seaport.
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13. An airport as defined in s. 330.27.
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14. A spaceport territory as defined in s. 331.303 s.
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331.303(19) .
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15. A military installation as defined in 10 U.S.C. s.
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2801(c)(4) and an armory as defined in s. 250.01.
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16. A dam as defined in s. 373.403(1) or other structures,
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such as locks, floodgates, or dikes, which are designed to
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maintain or control the level of navigable waterways.
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17. A state correctional institution as defined in s.
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944.02 or a contractor-operated correctional facility authorized
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under chapter 957.
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18. A secure detention center or facility as defined in s.
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985.03, or a moderate-risk residential facility, a high-risk
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residential facility, or a maximum-risk residential facility as
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those terms are described in s. 985.03(44).
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19. A county detention facility as defined in s. 951.23.
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20. A critical infrastructure facility as defined in s.
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692.201.
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Section 5. Paragraph (e) of subsection (2) of section
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331.310, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
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331.310 Powers and duties of the board of directors.—
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(2) The board of directors shall:
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(e) Prepare an annual report of operations as a supplement
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to the annual report required under s. 331.3051(18) s.
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331.3051(17) . The report must include, but not be limited to, a
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balance sheet, an income statement, a statement of changes in
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financial position, a reconciliation of changes in equity
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accounts, a summary of significant accounting principles, the
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auditor’s report, a summary of the status of existing and
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proposed bonding projects, comments from management about the
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year’s business, and prospects for the next year.
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Section 6. Paragraph (i) of subsection (2) of section
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692.201, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
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692.201 Definitions.—As used in this part, the term:
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(2) “Critical infrastructure facility” means any of the
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following, if it employs measures such as fences, barriers, or
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guard posts that are designed to exclude unauthorized persons:
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(i) A spaceport territory as defined in s. 331.303 s.
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331.303(19) .
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Section 7. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.