SB 2081 Summary

• Establishes the Aerospace and Aeronautics Development Program within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to coordinate and promote Hawaii's aerospace and aeronautics industries.

• Authorizes the Governor to appoint a Director with space-related expertise who will oversee planning, coordination, and expansion of aerospace activities including applied optics, astronomy, aviation, environmental monitoring, robotics, and commercial space launch.

• Grants the Director authority to forge partnerships between the University of Hawaii and private businesses, facilitate technology transfer, assist with international partnerships, and serve as a central point of contact for aerospace-related inquiries.

• Appropriates funds to establish one full-time equivalent position within the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation to assist the corporation's aerospace coordinator for fiscal year 2024-2025.

• Prohibits the program from authorizing or facilitating the launch of any vehicle carrying weapons of destruction, nuclear waste, or radioactive materials as a power source.