Florida Senate - 2022 SB 1466
By Senator Wright
14-00590A-22 20221466__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to aerospace commerce; creating s.
3 315.032, F.S.; exempting certain spaceport users from
4 certain fees or charges while transporting a space
5 vehicle or certain equipment; providing for expiration
6 of the exemption; amending s. 331.303, F.S.; defining
7 the term “space vehicle”; creating s. 331.3545, F.S.;
8 providing a short title; creating the Zero G, Zero Fee
9 program for the purpose of granting certain tax
10 exemptions to spaceport users; requiring Space Florida
11 to adopt rules determining application and eligibility
12 requirements; exempting spaceflight vehicles and
13 certain components from any state tax or fee;
14 providing for expiration; amending s. 338.155, F.S.;
15 exempting certain spaceport users from payment of
16 tolls on toll facilities while transporting a space
17 vehicle or certain equipment; providing for expiration
18 of the exemption; requiring the Secretary of Business
19 and Professional Regulation to recommend to the
20 Executive Office of the Governor the repeal of certain
21 rules; requiring a report to the Governor,
22 Legislature, and board of directors of Space Florida
23 by a specified date; providing an effective date.
24
25 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
26
27 Section 1. Section 315.032, Florida Statutes, is created to
28 read:
29 315.032 Zero G, Zero Fee program; exemption from certain
30 fees and charges.—A spaceport user approved for the Zero G, Zero
31 Fee program pursuant to s. 331.3545 is exempt from any fees or
32 charges authorized under s. 315.03(14) that apply to cargo while
33 transporting a space vehicle as defined in s. 331.303, launch
34 equipment, or recovery equipment. This section expires December
35 31, 2027.
36 Section 2. Present subsections (20) and (21) of section
37 331.303, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections (21)
38 and (22), respectively, and a new subsection (20) is added to
39 that section, to read:
40 331.303 Definitions.—
41 (20) “Space vehicle” means a system used to transport
42 persons and payloads from a spaceport territory to a destination
43 at or beyond 62 miles above sea level.
44 Section 3. Section 331.3545, Florida Statutes, is created
45 to read:
46 331.3545 Tax exemption; certain aerospace materials and
47 consumables.—
48 (1) SHORT TITLE.—This section may be cited as the “Zero G,
49 Zero Fee Act.”
50 (2) CREATION.—The Zero G, Zero Fee program is created for
51 the purpose of granting tax exemptions for the sale, rental,
52 storage, use, or consumption of certain aerospace materials and
53 consumables by spaceport users as defined in s. 331.303.
54 (3) APPLICATION; ELIGIBILITY.—Space Florida shall, by rule:
55 (a) Determine spaceport user eligibility criteria for the
56 Zero G, Zero Fee program and create the program application
57 process.
58 (b) Create a list of materials and consumables qualified
59 for the program, including, but not limited to:
60 1. Materials and consumables used for the construction of
61 space vehicles, launch pads, landing pads, and space vehicle
62 recovery assets.
63 2. Materials and consumables used for the construction of
64 payloads, space stations, and extravehicular equipment.
65 3. Vehicle propellant and other chemicals and gases
66 necessary for construction, launch, recovery, and reusability of
67 space vehicles.
68 (4) EXEMPTION FROM STATE TAXES OR FEES.—Notwithstanding any
69 other law, a spaceflight vehicle, or any component of a
70 spaceflight vehicle used for the ascent, descent, or landing of
71 the spaceflight vehicle on the land or territorial waters of
72 this state, is exempt from any state tax or fee.
73 (5) EXPIRATION.—This section expires December 31, 2027.
74 Section 4. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section
75 338.155, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
76 338.155 Payment of toll on toll facilities required;
77 exemptions.—
78 (1)(a) A person may not use a toll facility without payment
79 of tolls, except:
80 1. An employee of the agency operating the toll project
81 when using the toll facility on official state business.
82 2. State military personnel while on official military
83 business.
84 3. A person with a disability as provided in subsection
85 (3).
86 4. A person exempt from toll payment by the authorizing
87 resolution for bonds issued to finance the facility.
88 5. A person exempt on a temporary basis where use of such
89 toll facility is required as a detour route.
90 6. A law enforcement officer operating an official vehicle
91 while on official law enforcement business.
92 7. A person operating a fire vehicle while on official
93 business or a rescue vehicle while on official business.
94 8. A person participating in the funeral procession of a
95 law enforcement officer or firefighter killed in the line of
96 duty.
97 9. A spaceport user approved for the Zero G, Zero Fee
98 program pursuant to s. 331.3545 while transporting a space
99 vehicle as defined in s. 331.303, launch equipment, or recovery
100 equipment. This subparagraph expires December 31, 2027.
101 Section 5. The Secretary of Business and Professional
102 Regulation shall review current rules of the Department of
103 Business and Professional Regulation and shall recommend to the
104 Executive Office of the Governor the repeal of rules that he or
105 she determines are detrimental to the commercial aerospace
106 industry. The secretary shall submit a report of his or her
107 findings to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the
108 Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the board of
109 directors of Space Florida no later than December 31, 2022.
110 Section 6. This act shall take effect July 1, 2022.