Legislature Eyes Incentives To Lure Companies Away From Other States

California must perceive itself as being behind some it its neighbors and other states in the race to bring commercial space and space tourism companies to the state. In an effort to grab some of that business, the state is currently considering insurance legislation that would protect parts manufacturers from liability should a passenger be fatally injured on a commercial space flight.

The legislature last year passed a similar law that protects space tourism companies, such as Virgin Galactic.

The Associated Press reports that California state legislators say that they are looking at the legislation in an effort to be more competitive with states like nearby New Mexico, as well as Florida, Texas, and Virginia which have already passed such laws.

But some in the CA legislature hold the position that the state should not protect space tourism companies or parts manufacturers, saying that the people who might board such spacecraft should expect that they will return safely to Earth.

California is already losing some business to states where such legislation has been passed.  California-based XCOR, which is building the Lynx spacecraft, is placing a research and development center in Midland, TX, where protective legislation is already in effect.

FMI: www.legislature.ca.gov