FL S1156

Creates Part XIII of Chapter 288, Florida Statutes, establishing a Space Exploration Research Laboratory at the Florida Institute of Technology with requirements for planning, reporting, and performance standards.

Requires Florida Institute of Technology to submit a plan including enrollment projections for STEM programs, faculty hiring expectations, National Academy membership goals, and private/federal research funding strategies for the next 10 years.

Mandates annual reports to the Governor, Legislature, and Department of Economic Opportunity detailing student enrollment and graduation numbers, faculty qualifications, research funding secured, patents issued, and startup companies formed.

Requires the institute to generate at least $20 million annually in nonstate revenue by the 10th year of operation, with funding terminating if this threshold is not met or if the Department of Economic Opportunity determines the laboratory is not making substantial progress.

Directs the Department of Revenue to distribute $5 million annually to Florida Institute of Technology from sales and use taxes generated by visitor activity at Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station for 10 years after plan approval.