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TALLAHASSEE A measure now before Gov. Ron DeSantis would extend liability protections to private aerospace companies if crew members are injured or killed in spaceflights.

The legislation (SB 1318) was among 62 bills DeSantis received Tuesday. He has until May 31 to act on the proposal.

With the state seeing growth in private launches, the bill would cover crew members who are employees or contractors of companies such as SpaceX and others.

Senate bill sponsor Tom Wright, a New Smyrna Beach Republican who chairs the Senate Military and Veterans Affairs, Space and Domestic Security Committee, said earlier this year the proposal would adapt Florida law to address the evolution of space flight, allowing company employees of SpaceX, Boeing, Blue Origin and so forth to fly to space under this.

The law doesnt cover ground crew members or change workers compensation rules.

The measure isnt the only legislation now on DeSantis desk that has a tie to the space industry.

A series of road designations in a Department of Transportation bill (HB 21) includes the bridge on State Road 3 over the Canaveral Barge Canal in Brevard County being dedicated to Christa McAuliffe, the New Hampshire teacher killed in 1986 on the space shuttle Challenger.

The proposal would also name the new NASA Causeway Bridge on State Road 405 over the Indian River in Brevard County after astronaut Sally Ride.

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DeSantis gets bill to protect SpaceX, other firms from accident liability - Orlando Sentinel