Bill Text: TX SB1636 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Relating to the facilitation and operation of space flight activities in this state.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2013-05-21 - Postponed [SB1636 Detail]

Download: Texas-2013-SB1636-Introduced.html

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83R5651 TJS-F
By: Deuell S.B. No. 1636

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the facilitation and operation of space flight
activities in this state.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 100A.001, Civil Practice and Remedies
Code, is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 100A.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
(1) "Launch" means a placement or attempted placement
of a launch vehicle [or rocket] and any spacecraft [payload, crew,
or space flight participant] in a suborbital trajectory, earth
orbit, or outer space, including activities involved in the
preparation of a launch vehicle or spacecraft [payload] for launch.
(1-a) "Launch vehicle" means any vehicle and its
components designed to operate in, or place spacecraft, if any, in a
suborbital trajectory, earth orbit, or otherwise in outer space.
(2) "Reentry" means a [purposeful] return or attempt
to return of a reentry vehicle or spacecraft [and the payload, the
crew, or a space flight participant] from earth orbit or from outer
space to earth.
(2-a) "Spacecraft" has the meaning assigned by Section
507.001, Local Government Code.
(3) "Space flight activities" means activities and
training engaged in by a space flight entity in all phases of
preparing for and undertaking space flight, including:
(A) the research, development, testing, or
manufacture of a launch vehicle, reentry vehicle, or spacecraft or
components of a launch vehicle, reentry vehicle, or spacecraft;
(B) the preparation of a launch vehicle,
components of a launch vehicle, payload, spacecraft, crew, or space
flight participant for launch, space flight, and reentry;
(C) [(B)] the conduct of the launch;
(D) [(C)] conduct occurring between the launch
and reentry;
(E) [(D)] the preparation of a reentry vehicle,
components of a reentry vehicle, payload, spacecraft, crew, or
space flight participant for reentry;
(F) [(E)] the conduct of reentry and descent;
(G) [(F)] the conduct of the landing; and
(H) [(G)] the conduct of postlanding recovery of
a reentry vehicle, components of a reentry vehicle, payload,
spacecraft, crew, or space flight participant.
(4) "Space flight entity" means a person who conducts
space flight activities and who, to the extent required by federal
law, has obtained the appropriate Federal Aviation Administration
license or other authorization, including safety approval and a
payload determination. The term includes:
(A) a manufacturer or supplier of components,
services, or vehicles used by the entity and reviewed by the Federal
Aviation Administration as part of issuing the license or other
authorization; [and]
(B) an employee, officer, director, owner,
stockholder, member, manager, advisor, or partner of the entity,
manufacturer, or supplier; and
(C) an owner or lessor of real property on which
space flight activities are conducted, including a municipality,
county, political subdivision, or spaceport development
corporation under Section 507.001, Local Government Code, in this
state with a contractual relationship with a space flight entity.
(5) "Space flight participant" means an individual,
who is not crew, carried aboard a spacecraft, launch vehicle, or
reentry vehicle.
(6) "Space flight participant injury" means an injury
sustained by a space flight participant, including bodily injury,
emotional distress, death, disability, property damage, or any
other loss arising from the individual's participation in space
flight activities.
(7) "Crew" means a human being who performs activities
relating to the launch, reentry, or other operation of or in a
spacecraft or launch or reentry vehicle.
SECTION 2. Section 100A.002, Civil Practice and Remedies
Code, is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 100A.002. LIMITED LIABILITY. (a) Except as provided
by this section [Subsection (b)], a space flight entity is not
liable to any person for direct or indirect damages resulting from
nuisance, or subject to any claim for abatement or other injunctive
relief arising from space flight activities.
(b) Except as provided by this section, a space flight
entity is not liable to any person for a space flight participant
injury or damages arising out of [the] space flight activities
[participant injury] if the space flight participant has signed the
agreement required by Section 100A.003 and given written consent as
required by 51 [49] U.S.C. Section 50905 [70105].
[(b)] This subsection [section] does not limit liability
for a space flight participant [an] injury:
(1) proximately caused by the space flight entity's
gross negligence evidencing wilful or wanton disregard for the
safety of the space flight participant; or
(2) intentionally caused by the space flight entity.
(c) Except as provided by Subsections (a) and (b), this
section precludes injunctive relief and limits damages that may be
recovered to direct damages with respect to space flight
activities.
(d) This section does not limit liability for:
(1) breach of a contract for use of real property by a
space flight entity; or
(2) enforcement of a valid statute or regulation.
SECTION 3. Section 100A.003(b), Civil Practice and Remedies
Code, is amended to read as follows:
(b) An agreement under Subsection (a) is considered
effective and enforceable if it is:
(1) in writing;
(2) in a document separate from any other agreement
between the space flight participant and the space flight entity
other than a different warning, consent, or assumption of risk
statement;
(3) printed in not less than 10-point bold type; [and]
(4) signed by the space flight participant on behalf
of the space flight participant and any heirs, executors,
administrators, representatives, attorneys, successors, and
assignees of the space flight participant; and
(5) signed by a competent witness.
SECTION 4. Sections 507.001(2) and (3), Local Government
Code, are amended to read as follows:
(2) "Spacecraft" means any object and its components
designed to be launched for operations in a suborbital trajectory,
earth orbit, or otherwise in outer space. The term includes a
satellite, an object carrying crew or a space flight participant,
and any subcomponents of the launch or reentry vehicle specifically
designed or adapted for that object [includes a satellite].
(3) "Spaceport" includes:
(A) an area intended to be used for space flight
activities, as defined by Section 100A.001, Civil Practice and
Remedies Code [to launch or land a spacecraft];
(B) a spaceport building or facility located in
[on] an area reasonably proximate [appurtenant] to a spacecraft
launching or landing area;
(C) an area reasonably proximate [appurtenant]
to a spacecraft launching or landing area that is intended for use
for a spaceport building or facility; and
(D) a right-of-way related to a spacecraft
launching or landing area, building, facility, or other area that
is reasonably proximate [appurtenant] to a launching or landing
area.
SECTION 5. Section 481.0069(d), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(d) Money in the spaceport trust fund may not be spent
unless the office certifies to the comptroller that:
(1) a viable business entity has been established
that:
(A) has a business plan that demonstrates that
the entity has available the financial, managerial, and technical
expertise and capability necessary to launch and land a reusable
launch vehicle; and
(B) has committed to locating its facilities at a
spaceport in this state;
(2) a development corporation for spaceport
facilities created under Chapter 507, Local Government Code, has
established a development plan for the spaceport project and has
secured at least 90 percent of the funding required for the project;
and
(3) the spaceport or launch operator, if required by
federal law, has obtained or applied for the appropriate Federal
Aviation Administration license or other appropriate
authorization.
SECTION 6. Section 42.01, Penal Code, is amended by adding
Subsection (g) to read as follows:
(g) Noise arising from lawful space flight activities, as
defined by Section 100A.001, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, does
not constitute "unreasonable noise" for purposes of this section.
SECTION 7. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
space flight activities that occur on or after the effective date of
this Act. Space flight activities that occur before the effective
date of this Act are governed by the law in effect immediately
before that date, and that law is continued in effect for that
purpose.
SECTION 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.