ATLANTA — State Representative Jason Spencer (R-Woodbine) today commended the Senate Study Committee on the Camden County Spaceport for their work and recommendation that the Georgia General Assembly move on the passage of similar legislation to House Bill 1, also known as the Georgia Spaceflight Act. Rep. Spencer pre-filed HB 1 on Tuesday, November 15, 2016.
“I want to commend Chairman Bruce Thompson and the entire Senate Study Committee on the Camden County Spaceport for studying this very important issue carefully,” said Rep. Spencer. “After much study, the Senate has come to the same conclusion as the House of Representatives that moving forward on liability shield legislation to bring the commercial space industry to Georgia would set a minimum competitive standard in order for our state to compete with other space states like Florida and Texas. This policy would lead to bringing more STEM related jobs to our state. HB 1 achieves this goal and is congruent with the recommendations from this study committee. I look forward to working with the Senate to move on these recommendations made in their report.”
In the final report of the Senate Study Committee on the Camden County Spaceport, the study committee recommends that the Georgia General Assembly propose and pass legislation promoting and supporting Georgia’s commercial spaceflight industry similar to that of the Georgia Spaceflight Act. According to the report, the committee also encourages the Georgia Departments of Economic Development, Education and Transportation to develop commercial spaceflight friendly programs and competencies to attract and retain commercial space and related businesses. Furthermore, the committee’s report encourages an investigation into the role and best practices of commercial spaceflight friendly states, while not duplicating or interfering with those states’ laws, regulations, policies or practices.
HB 1 will be formally introduced during the 2017 legislative session of the Georgia General Assembly.
For more information about HB 1, please click here.
For more information on the Senate Study Committee report, please click here.
Representative Jason Spencer represents the citizens of District 180, which includes Camden, Charlton, and Ware counties. He was elected into the House of Representatives in 2010, and currently serves as the Secretary of the Special Rules Committee. He also serves on the Game Fish & Parks, Human Relations & Aging, and Juvenile Justice committees.
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