Florida Senate - 2024                              CS for SB 968
       
       
        
       By the Committee on Rules; and Senators Calatayud and Trumbull
       
       
       
       
       
       595-03597-24                                           2024968c1
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to spaceport territory; amending s.
    3         331.303, F.S.; revising the definition of “spaceport
    4         discretionary capacity improvement projects”; s.
    5         331.304, F.S.; revising spaceport territory to include
    6         certain property; amending s. 331.371, F.S.;
    7         authorizing the Department of Transportation to fund
    8         spaceport discretionary capacity improvement projects
    9         if important access and on-spaceport-territory space
   10         transportation capacity improvements are provided;
   11         providing an effective date.
   12          
   13  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   14  
   15         Section 1. Subsection (18) of section 331.303, Florida
   16  Statutes, is amended to read:
   17         331.303 Definitions.—
   18         (18) “Spaceport discretionary capacity improvement
   19  projects” means capacity improvements that enhance space
   20  transportation capacity at spaceports or on spaceport territory
   21  that have had one or more orbital or suborbital flights during
   22  the previous calendar year or have an agreement in writing for
   23  installation of one or more regularly scheduled orbital or
   24  suborbital flights upon the commitment of funds for stipulated
   25  spaceport capital improvements.
   26         Section 2. Subsections (6) and (7) are added to section
   27  331.304, Florida Statutes, to read:
   28         331.304 Spaceport territory.—The following property shall
   29  constitute spaceport territory:
   30         (6) Certain real property located in Miami-Dade County
   31  which was formerly included within the boundaries of Homestead
   32  Air Force Base and is included within the boundaries of
   33  Homestead Air Reserve Base or deeded to Miami-Dade County or the
   34  City of Homestead. Homestead Air Force Base refers to and
   35  includes:
   36         (a) Federal property that is part of Homestead Air Reserve
   37  Base; and
   38         (b) Former federal property that was previously part of
   39  Homestead Air Force Base and, as of July 1, 2024, or any time
   40  thereafter, is deeded to Miami-Dade County or the City of
   41  Homestead.
   42         (7) Certain real property located in Bay County which is
   43  included within the boundaries of Tyndall Air Force Base.
   44         Section 3. Section 331.371, Florida Statutes, is amended to
   45  read:
   46         331.371 Strategic space infrastructure investment.—In
   47  consultation with Space Florida, the Department of
   48  Transportation may fund spaceport discretionary capacity
   49  improvement strategic spaceport launch support facilities
   50  investment projects, as defined in s. 331.303, at up to 100
   51  percent of the project’s cost if:
   52         (1) Important access and on-spaceport-territory space
   53  transportation and commercial launch facility capacity
   54  improvements are provided;
   55         (2) Capital improvements that strategically position the
   56  state to maximize opportunities in international trade are
   57  achieved;
   58         (3) Goals of an integrated intermodal transportation system
   59  for the state are achieved; and
   60         (4) Feasibility and availability of matching funds through
   61  federal, local, or private partners are demonstrated.
   62         Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.