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CS/CS/CS/HB 1177 2026
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to spaceport operations and Space 2
Florida; amending s. 311.14, F.S.; defining the term 3
"strategic spaceport hub"; requiring the governing 4
board of certain seaports to coordinate with Space 5
Florida for specified purposes; amending s. 331.302, 6
F.S.; providing that Space Florida is not an agency 7
and is not subject to certain bidding and contract 8
procedures under certain conditions; amending s. 9
331.3051, F.S.; requiring Space Florida to employ a 10
full-time business development director for specified 11
purposes; amending s. 331.3081, F.S.; revising 12
membership of the Space Florida board of directors; 13
providing an effective date. 14
15
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 16
17
Section 1. Subsection (4) is added to section 311.14, 18
Florida Statutes, to read: 19
311.14 Seaport planning.— 20
(4)(a) For purposes of this subsection, the term 21
"strategic spaceport hub" means spaceport territory located 22
within 5 miles of a seaport listed in s. 311.09(1) that is used 23
for deepwater commercial navigation. 24
(b) Before making any change to its strategic plan, the 25
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governing board of a seaport located within 5 miles of a 26
strategic spaceport hub must coordinate with Space Florida to 27
ensure that the change does not conflict with Space Florida's 28
business plan created pursuant to s. 331.3051. 29
Section 2. Subsection (4) of section 331.302, Florida 30
Statutes, is amended to read: 31
331.302 Space Florida; creation; purpose.— 32
(4)(a) Space Florida is not an agency as defined in ss. 33
216.011 and 287.012. 34
(b) Space Florida is not an agency as defined in s. 35
287.055(2)(b) and is not subject to s. 255.20 when it purchases 36
professional services or construction services, or both, using 37
nonappropriated state funds. Space Florida must attest in 38
writing that such funds are nonappropriated. 39
Section 3. Section 331.3051, Florida Statutes, is amended 40
to read: 41
331.3051 Duties of Space Florida.—Space Florida must 42
shall: 43
(1)(a) Create a business plan to foster the growth and 44
development of the aerospace industry. The business plan must 45
address business development, finance, spaceport operations, 46
research and development, workforce development, and education. 47
The business plan must be revised when determined as necessary 48
by the board. 49
(b) Employ a full-time business development director for 50
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the spaceport territories identified in s. 331.304(2), (3), (6), 51
and (7), whose primary focus must be to foster the growth and 52
development of spaceport activities, including, but not limited 53
to, horizontal launch capability, advanced air mobility, and 54
unmanned aerial vehicles. 55
(2) Enter into agreement with the Department of Education, 56
the Department of Transportation, the Department of Commerce, 57
and CareerSource Florida, Inc., for the purpose of implementing 58
this act. 59
(3) In cooperation with the Department of Commerce, 60
develop a plan to retain, expand, attract, and create aerospace 61
industry entities, public or private, which results in the 62
creation of high-value-added businesses and jobs in this state. 63
(4) Create a marketing campaign to help attract, develop, 64
and retain aerospace businesses, aerospace research and 65
technology, and other related activities in this state. Space 66
Florida shall attempt to coordinate the campaign with existing 67
economic development promotion efforts in this state and may use 68
private resources. Marketing strategies may include developing 69
promotional materials, Internet and print advertising, public 70
relations and media placement, trade show attendance, and other 71
activities. 72
(5) Consult with the Florida Tourism Industry Marketing 73
Corporation in developing a space tourism marketing plan. Space 74
Florida and the Florida Tourism Industry Marketing Corporation 75
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may enter into a mutually beneficial agreement that provides 76
funding to the corporation for its services to implement this 77
subsection. 78
(6) Develop, in cooperation with the Department of 79
Commerce, a plan to provide financing assistance to aerospace 80
businesses. The plan may include the following activities: 81
(a) Assembling, publishing, and disseminating information 82
concerning financing opportunities and techniques for aerospace 83
projects, programs, and activities; sources of public and 84
private aerospace financing assistance; and sources of 85
aerospace-related financing. 86
(b) Organizing, hosting, and participating in seminars and 87
other forums designed to disseminate information and technical 88
assistance regarding aerospace-related financing. 89
(c) Coordinating with programs and goals of the Department 90
of Defense, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 91
the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the International 92
Trade Administration of the United States Department of 93
Commerce, the Foreign Credit Insurance Association, and other 94
private and public programs and organizations, domestic and 95
foreign. 96
(d) Establishing a network of contacts among those 97
domestic and foreign public and private organizations that 98
provide information, technical assistance, and financial support 99
to the aerospace industry. 100
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(e) Financing aerospace business development projects or 101
initiatives using funds provided by the Legislature. 102
(7) Carry out its responsibilities for spaceport 103
operations by: 104
(a) Seeking federal support and developing partnerships to 105
renew and upgrade the infrastructure and technologies at the 106
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the John F. Kennedy Space 107
Center, and the Eastern Range that will enhance space and 108
military programs of the Federal Government, and improve access 109
for commercial launch activities. 110
(b) Supporting federal efforts to clarify roles and 111
responsibilities of federal agencies and eliminate duplicative 112
federal rules and policies, in an effort to streamline access 113
for commercial launch users. 114
(c) Pursuing the development of commercial spaceports in 115
the state, in addition to those defined in s. 331.304, through a 116
competitive request for proposals in partnership with counties 117
or municipalities, the Federal Government, or private entities. 118
(d) Promoting and facilitating launch activity within the 119
state by supporting and assisting commercial launch operators in 120
completing and submitting required documentation and gaining 121
approvals and authorization from the required federal agencies 122
for launching from Florida. 123
(e) Consulting regularly with the appropriate federal, 124
state, and local authorities, including the National Aeronautics 125
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and Space Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration, 126
the Department of Defense, the Department of Transportation, the 127
Florida National Guard, and industry on all aspects of 128
establishing and operating spaceport infrastructure and related 129
aerospace facilities within the state. 130
(8) Carry out its responsibility for research and 131
development by: 132
(a) Contracting for the operations of the state's Space 133
Life Sciences Laboratory. 134
(b) Working in collaboration with one or more public or 135
private universities and other public or private entities to 136
foster and promote the research necessary to develop 137
commercially promising, advanced, and innovative science and 138
technology and transfer those discoveries to the commercial 139
sector. This may include developing a proposal to establish a 140
Center of Excellence for Aerospace. 141
(c) Supporting universities in this state that are members 142
of the Federal Aviation Administration's Center of Excellence 143
for Commercial Space Transportation to assure a safe, 144
environmentally compatible, and efficient commercial space 145
transportation system in this state. 146
(9) Carry out its responsibility for workforce development 147
by coordinating with CareerSource Florida, Inc., community 148
colleges, colleges, public and private universities, and other 149
public and private partners to develop a plan to retain, train, 150
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and retrain workers, from entry-level skills training through to 151
technician-level, and 4-year degrees and higher, with the skills 152
most relevant to aerospace employers. 153
(10) Carry out its responsibility for creating innovative 154
education programs by funding programs developed in conjunction 155
with the Department of Education that target grades K-20 in an 156
effort to promote mathematics and science education programs, 157
which may include the Florida-NASA Matching Grant Program, 158
aerospace-focused education programs for teachers, education-159
oriented microgravity flight programs for teachers and students, 160
and Internet-based aerospace education. Funds appropriated and 161
any in-kind or private sector contributions may be used to carry 162
out innovative education programs. Funding levels shall be 163
determined by the Space Florida board of directors. In its 164
annual report, Space Florida shall include, at a minimum, a 165
description of programs funded, the number of students served, 166
and private sector support. 167
(11) Regularly solicit input on Space Florida plans and 168
activities from the aerospace industry, private sector spaceport 169
territory stakeholders, each entity that owns or has ownership 170
interest in a facility within spaceport territory, and other 171
political subdivisions within spaceport territory. 172
(12) Partner with the Board of Governors to foster 173
technological advancement and economic development for spaceport 174
activities by strengthening higher education programs and 175
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supporting aerospace activities. 176
(13) Partner with the Division of Workforce Services of 177
the Department of Commerce, CareerSource Florida, Inc., and 178
local workforce development boards to support initiatives that 179
address the high technology skills and staff resources needed to 180
better promote the state's efforts in becoming the nation's 181
leader in aerospace and space exploration. 182
(14) Partner with the Metropolitan Planning Organization 183
Advisory Council to coordinate and specify how aerospace 184
planning and programming will be part of the state's cooperative 185
transportation planning process. 186
(15) Administer the International Aerospace Innovation 187
Fund established under s. 331.372. 188
(16) By October 1, 2023, and each year thereafter, submit 189
to the Department of Commerce for inclusion in the annual report 190
required under s. 20.60 a complete and detailed written report 191
setting forth: 192
(a) Its operations and accomplishments during the fiscal 193
year. 194
(b) Accomplishments and progress concerning the 195
implementation of the spaceport master plan and other measurable 196
goals, and any updates to such plan and measurable goals. 197
(c) Any other information required by the Department of 198
Commerce. 199
(17)(a) In addition to the reporting requirements in 200
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chapter 189, annually report on its performance with respect to 201
its business plan, to include finance, spaceport operations, 202
research and development, workforce development, and education. 203
(b) Space Florida shall submit the report to the Governor, 204
the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of 205
Representatives by November 30 for the previous fiscal year. 206
(c) The annual report must include operations information 207
as required under s. 331.310(2)(e) and data on the economic 208
impact of the aerospace industry in the state during the 209
previous year, including, but not limited to, the amount and 210
sources of capital investment, the number of jobs created and 211
retained, and annualized average wages, listed by geographic 212
areas within the state as specified by the board. 213
Section 4. Paragraph (e) of subsection (1) of section 214
331.3081, Florida Statutes, is redesignated as paragraph (f) and 215
amended, and a new paragraph (e) is added to that section, to 216
read: 217
331.3081 Board of directors.— 218
(1) Space Florida shall be governed by an independent 219
board of directors that consists of the Governor, who shall 220
serve ex officio, or who may appoint a designee to serve, as the 221
chair and a voting member of the board, and the following 222
appointed members: 223
(e) A representative of the Jacksonville Aviation 224
Authority, appointed by the Governor. 225
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(f)(e) A representative of each of the following entities, 226
who shall serve as an ex officio, nonvoting member of the board, 227
appointed by the Governor: 228
1. The Jacksonville Aviation Authority. 229
1.2. The Titusville-Cocoa Airport Authority. 230
2.3. An employee or official of a port district or port 231
authority as defined in s. 315.02(2). 232
Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 233