Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a invoice final week designed to guard non-public space-flight firms from harm lawsuits.

The invoice was only one out of 27 payments that the governor signed the day after he introduced his presidential candidacy. The invoice handed with little opposition by the Florida legislature final month.

The new legislation, dubbed the Spaceflight Entity Liability Bill, protects non-public house firms like SpaceX or Blue Origin from being hit by a personal-injury lawsuit in Florida from house flight.

The legislation requires passengers and crew members on rocket flights to signal a warning assertion, assuming accountability for the inherent dangers of house flight.

The legislation does carve out an exception.

If the corporate in query had “actual knowledge of an extraordinarily dangerous condition” that isn't inherent to house flight, then an harm lawsuit might proceed.

SpaceX rocket launches got here underneath some scrutiny this yr after a launch in Texas left the encompassing nationwide park inundated with harmful particles and fires.

The invoice is one other instance of the shut relationship between Gov. DeSantis and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.

The governor introduced his presidential candidacy in a Twitter house final week hosted by Mr. Musk, who has stated beforehand he would assist Mr. DeSantis in a possible 2024 presidential run however has not formally endorsed the governor.

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