Bill > HB1904

This bill establishes the Hawaii Orbital Sustainability and Space Traffic Board within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, which will be responsible for creating and managing an orbital tracking and space traffic coordination system to promote safe and responsible space operations. The bill requires any entity conducting "aerospace activities," which includes the design, launch, operation, and recovery of aircraft, satellites, spacecraft, or related technologies, to register with the board and comply with standards for mission plans, debris mitigation (preventing non-functional human-made objects in orbit from causing collisions), and financial liability. The board will also coordinate with federal agencies, award grants for research, education, and workforce development in space-related fields, and ensure compliance with environmental laws and historic preservation requirements, including consultation with Native Hawaiians. The bill mandates annual reports to the Legislature on registered operators, debris incidents, program outcomes, and compliance, and appropriates funds for the system's establishment and operation, grant disbursement, and administrative costs, with an effective date of July 1, 3000.