(1) The board of directors may:(a) Enter, and authorize any agent or employee of Space Florida to enter, upon any lands, waters, and premises, upon giving reasonable notice and due process to the land owner, for the purposes of making surveys, soundings, drillings, appraisals, and examinations necessary to perform its duties and functions. Any such entry shall not be deemed a trespass or an entry that would constitute a taking in an eminent domain proceeding. Space Florida shall make reimbursement for any actual damages to such lands, waters, and premises as a result of such activity.
(b) Execute all contracts and other documents, adopt all proceedings, and perform all acts determined by the board to be necessary or desirable to carry out the purposes of this act. The board may authorize one or more members of the board to execute contracts and other documents on behalf of the board or Space Florida.
(c) Establish and create such departments, committees, or other entities as from time to time the board may deem necessary or desirable in the performance of any acts or other things necessary to the exercise of the powers provided in this act, and delegate to such departments, boards, or other entities such administrative duties and other powers as the board may deem necessary or desirable.
(d) Provide financial services to support aerospace-related business development within the state. Financial services may include, but are not limited to, insuring, coinsuring, or originating for sale direct aerospace-related loans; direct lending; guaranteeing and collateralizing loans; creating accounts; capitalizing, underwriting, leasing, selling, or securing funding for aerospace-related infrastructure; investing in permissible securities; organizing financial institutions and international bank syndicates; and acquiring, accepting, or administering grants, contracts, and fees from other organizations to perform activities that are consistent with the purposes of Space Florida’s business plan. If the board deems a financial services entity is necessary, the board may create, form, or contract with one or more such entities.
(e) Examine, and authorize any officer or agent of Space Florida to examine, the county tax rolls with respect to the assessed valuation of the real and personal property within any spaceport territory.
(f) Engage in the planning and implementation of space-related economic and educational development within the state.
(g) Provide the strategic direction for the aerospace-related research priorities of the state and its aerospace-related businesses.
(h) Execute intergovernmental agreements and development agreements consistent with prevailing statutory provisions, including, but not limited to, special benefits or tax increment financing initiatives.
(i) Establish reserve funds for future board operations.
(j) Adopt rules pursuant to chapter 120 to carry out the purposes of this act.
(2) The board of directors shall:(a) Adopt rules and orders to conduct the business of Space Florida, the maintenance of records, and the form of all documents and records of Space Florida. The board may adopt rules with respect to any of the projects of Space Florida with notice and a public hearing.
(b) Maintain an executive office and Space Florida offices in close proximity to the John F. Kennedy Space Center.
(c) Appoint a person to act as the president of Space Florida, having such official title, functions, duties, powers, and salary as the board may prescribe.
(d) Abide by all applicable federal labor laws in the construction and day-to-day operations of Space Florida and any spaceport. Further, the board shall establish, by rule and regulation, pursuant to chapter 120, policies and procedures for the construction and operation of Space Florida and any spaceport. The policies and procedures shall be such that when Space Florida expends federal funds for construction or operation of any spaceport project, Space Florida will be subject to the federal labor laws observed at the John F. Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, applicable as a result of such federal expenditures.
(e) Prepare an annual report of operations as a supplement to the annual report required under s. 331.3051(16). The report must include, but not be limited to, a balance sheet, an income statement, a statement of changes in financial position, a reconciliation of changes in equity accounts, a summary of significant accounting principles, the auditor’s report, a summary of the status of existing and proposed bonding projects, comments from management about the year’s business, and prospects for the next year. (f) Establish a personnel management system.
