BILL ANALYSIS
| Senate Research Center | S.B. 1198 |
| 89R3015 SCR-D | By: Birdwell |
| | Natural Resources |
| | 3/7/2025 |
| | As Filed |
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Spaceports are a vital part of the Texas economy, with the commercial space industry employing thousands of Texans and generating an economic impact worth tens of billions. Spaceports also play a pivotal role when it comes to national security, as they serve as the location for the development, manufacturing, and testing of certain technologies prioritized by the U.S. Department of Defense. In 2019, to protect certain vital state assets from potential attack, the legislature created criminal offenses for damaging critical infrastructure facilities, such as oil and gas pipelines, and later added airports, and military installations in 2023.
This bill would add spaceports to this list of designated critical infrastructure facilities. This designation will act as a deterrent for organizations or individuals who engage in impairing, interruption, obstruction, or destruction of these facilities. Individuals who engage in such activities would receive a criminal penalty and be held civilly liable for damages.
As proposed, S.B. 1198 amends current law relating to the designation of spaceports as critical infrastructure facilities for purposes of criminal and civil liability.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 424.001, Government Code, as follows:
Sec. 424.001. DEFINITION. Includes any property or facility that is used for the launch, landing, or recovery of spacecraft, as defined by Section 507.001 (Definitions), Local Government Code, and licensed by the Federal Aviation Administration or operated by a spaceport development corporation under Chapter 507 (Spaceport Development Corporations), Local Government Code, in the definition of "critical infrastructure facility." Makes conforming changes.
SECTION 2. Provides that the change in law made by this Act applies only to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. Provides that an offense committed before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. Provides that, for purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense was committed before that date.
SECTION 3. Provides that the change in law made by this Act applies only to a cause of action that accrues on or after the effective date of this Act. Provides that a cause of action that accrues before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the cause of action accrued, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
SECTION 4. Effective date: September 1, 2025.
