Space Port - House Bill 303

House Bill 303 by State Rep. Dennis Paul would change current law to allow a municipality with a population of 2 million or more to create a spaceport development corporation. Under current law a municipality is eligible to create a spaceport development corporation only in combination with one or more counties.

Under HB 303, a Houston spaceport will benefit from the statutory authorities of spaceport development corporations, including eligibility to draw funds from the state's Spaceport Trust Fund.

The bill would allow large cities to operate a spaceport independently of a county, which would expedite the expansion of commercial space activities at the Houston Airport System. Municipalities that have the resources and infrastructure to pursue spaceport development should not be required to partner with a county.

The Houston Airport System, a department of the City of Houston, is responsible for oversight and management of the George Bush Intercontinental, William P. Hobby and Ellington airports.

In 2012, the Houston Airport System began working with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the very formidable and detailed process of becoming a licensed commercial spaceport. In 2015, Ellington Airport received its license from the FAA to become a commercial spaceport, the 10th in the United States, and the 1st urban spaceport in the United States.

Since licensure in 2015, Houston Airports has made significant capital investments in Houston Spaceport including, but not limited to:

• a state of the art air traffic control tower capable of supporting space operations.
• the Houston Aerospace Support Center, a 53,000 square foot, fully customizable laboratory to support aerospace development.
• the groundbreaking of Phase 1, a 153-acre project to install vital infrastructure such as roadways and utilities to support land and business development.

These investments of ours total more than $37 million. ($12.4m Tower, $6.8mHASC, $18.5m Phase 1).

The State of Texas and the Federal government have also recognized the potential of Houston Spaceport and have invested more than $4 million in grants. ($3.1m, tower from TX Military Preparedness Commission, $1m Phase 1 Infrastructure from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration).

In 2015, the Houston Airport System and NASA entered into an agreement that will allow Houston Spaceport to tap into the federal space agency's asset expertise in the spaceflight industry.

The Houston Airport System is also part of an educational collaborative between Texas A & M, Texas Southern, Rice University, and San Jacinto College to support Houston Spaceport.

Houston Spaceport is growing, and its potential is limitless. The passage of House Bill 303 will strengthen the City of Houston's and the State of Texas' position in space. The bill will build on synergies around NASA's presence in Houston and spur the creation of jobs and investment. It will help make Texas an attractive market for astronaut training, spacecraft manufacturing, launching of micro-satellites, and other commercial space activities.

Because municipalities already have the right of eminent domain and bonding authority, the bill will not expand the powers of a city, but allow existing municipal rights to be exercised through a spaceport corporation. The Houston Airport System and City of Houston Government Relations Team worked together to ensure passage of this bill during the 86th legislative session. Governor Greg Abbott signed HB 303 into law May 23, 2019, and it takes effect immediately.