Businesses working with the state’s Space Florida would be exempt from taxes on leased government property under a measure backed Monday by the Senate Military and Veterans Affairs, Space and Domestic Security Committee.
The proposal (SB 1512), filed by Sen. Danny Burgess, R-Zephyrhills, would expand the term “governmental purpose” in a state law to include “aerospace activities.”
Burgess said the intent is to “help grow and strengthen Florida’s aerospace industry.”
Florida accounted for more than one-third of the successful rocket launches globally in 2025, with a record 109 going up from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and Kennedy Space Center.
That was up from 93 in 2024 and 72 in 2023.
“Other states are currently investing large amounts of money to try to compete with Florida,” Burgess said. “This bill is imperative to help make sure that Florida is still the leading edge of not just launching, but also all that is now coming along with the space industry and even the private partnerships that we see through SpaceX, Blue Origin and other companies. We want to make sure that we’re always ahead of the game.”
The proposed change would exempt tangible personal property from sales and use taxes.
A Senate staff analysis said the bill hasn’t been reviewed by state economists, but it is expected to have “an indeterminate positive fiscal impact for businesses that lease from or partner with Space Florida.”
Businesses working with Space Florida are already eligible for several tax exemptions, such as for sales taxes on certain machinery. House Majority Leader Tyler Sirois, R-Merritt Island, has filed a House version of the bill (HB 1177).