Enrolled Bill Summary

The digital content on TLO has been updated to align with the accessibility standards required by WCAG 2.1.

House Bill 5246 amends the Government Code to revise provisions relating to the administration, powers, and duties of the Texas Space Commission, the Texas Aerospace Research and Space Economy Consortium (TARSEC), the aerospace and aviation office within the Texas Economic Development and Tourism Office, and other applicable entities and institutions regarding aerospace, aviation, and space exploration initiatives and activities. The bill does the following with respect to the Texas Space Commission:

• revises the purposes of the commission;
• revises the composition, powers, and duties of the commission's board of directors;
• provides for the authority of the commission to secure access to capacity on or through an orbital, suborbital, or extraterrestrial transport or habitation system;
• authorizes the commission's board to conduct a closed meeting for matters under board consideration relating to certain sensitive grant applications or certain defense, military, and aerospace issues; and
• provides for a biennial update to the commission's strategic plan for the promotion of space and aeronautics in Texas.

House Bill 5246 also sets out provisions relating to the authorized use of grants under the space exploration and aeronautics research fund. The bill repeals provisions governing the spaceport trust fund and provides for the fund's dissolution. The bill revises certain provisions relating to TARSEC, including its composition, general duties, and purposes as an advisory committee to the commission's board, and revises the composition of the aerospace and aviation advisory committee.