SESSION WATCH
Died SENATE · SESSION 2026

No. SB 916

Spaceport Operations
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SPONSOR
Mayfield
FILED BY
Debbie Mayfield — District 19, Republican [search donations]
EFFECTIVE
7/1/2026
DIED IN
Military and Veterans Affairs

Filed under Transportation.

PROVIDED SUMMARY

Spaceport Operations; Defining the terms “quintimodal transportation hub” and “spaceport director or commander”; requiring Space Florida, in coordination with specified entities, to enhance and promote the development and use of quintimodal transportation hubs in this state; providing powers and duties of spaceport operators, etc.

Full bill text →

Plain English Summary

AI-GENERATED
Puts day-to-day spaceport control in local directors, not Space Florida.

A new law puts day-to-day operational authority, including maintenance and safety, in each spaceport's own director or commander instead of Space Florida.

Space Florida keeps statewide planning and financing duties but cannot control a spaceport's local operations unless invited in writing or federal law requires it.

Spaceports must file an annual operational governance plan with Space Florida, which has no power to approve or reject that plan.

Space Florida also gains a duty to work with transportation agencies and local governments to promote hubs connecting road, rail, air, sea, and spaceport facilities.

KEY PROVISIONS
§ 1 Spaceport directors gain authority over daily operations majors. 331.3052

AIA new section vests authority over the operational oversight, management, and day-to-day administration of each spaceport in that facility's own director or commander, overriding any conflicting authority elsewhere in this part of the statute.

“shall be vested in the spaceport director or commander for that facility” bill text, line 45 →
§ 2 Space Florida barred from controlling local spaceport operations majors. 331.3052

AISpace Florida keeps statewide planning and financing duties but may not step into a spaceport's local operational decisions unless that spaceport's director or commander asks in writing, or federal law requires it.

“may not exercise direct control over local operational decisions unless” bill text, line 49 →
§ 3 Spaceport governance plans are not subject to Space Florida approval moderates. 331.3052

AIEach spaceport must adopt and annually submit an operational governance plan consistent with Space Florida's statewide strategic plan, but Space Florida has no power to approve, modify, or reject that plan.

“must be submitted annually to Space Florida, but is not subject to approval by Space Florida” bill text, line 57 →
§ 4 Space Florida must promote quintimodal transportation hubs moderates. 331.3051

AISpace Florida gains a new duty to coordinate with the Department of Transportation, metropolitan planning organizations, and local governments to enhance and promote hubs linking road, rail, air, sea, and spaceport transportation.

“enhance and promote the development and use of quintimodal transportation hubs in this state” bill text, line 7 →
§ 5 New definitions for transportation hub and spaceport director role technicals. 331.303

AIThe bill defines a quintimodal transportation hub as a spaceport territory linking several transport modes, and separately defines 'spaceport director or commander' as the person a facility's governing body designates to run it.

“interconnected transportation facilities are available to move people or property by means of road, railroad, airport, seaport, and spaceport facilities” bill text, line 24 →
§ 6 Space Florida retains financing and ownership powers over spaceports technicals. 331.3052

AIThe new operational-authority section does not reduce Space Florida's existing power to finance, lease, or own spaceport facilities, or to coordinate economic development across multiple spaceport territories.

“does not diminish Space Florida's authority to finance, lease, or own spaceport facilities” bill text, line 60 →
TIMELINE
3/13/2026
Died in Military and Veterans Affairs, Space, and Domestic Security
1/13/2026
Introduced
1/5/2026
Referred to Military and Veterans Affairs, Space, and Domestic...
12/16/2025
Filed
STATUTES IT CHANGES
s. 331.303
+63 / −0
s. 331.3051
+28 / −0
s. 331.3052
+153 / −0
s. 330.41
+2 / −2
s. 331.310
+2 / −2
s. 692.201
+2 / −2