Committee backs SB 132 to allow closed-door spaceport talks and add reentry oversight

Senate Bill 132 won a favorable recommendation from the Senate Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee on March 4 after the sponsor argued the spaceport exploration committee needs limited-exemption authority to discuss trade secrets with prospective industry partners.

Senator Stevenson said the exploration committee has studied several candidate sites and engaged industry partners, but that businesses sometimes require private discussions to protect proprietary information. "We need to be able to discuss those trade secrets in a manner where that secret is not disclosed to their competition," Stevenson told the committee, explaining the bill would authorize closed-door meetings for that purpose. The bill also adds reentry operations to the committee's list of approved activities and moves the committee's deadline for delivering recommendations from Sept. 30, 2026, to Nov. 30, 2026.

The sponsor said the work aims to build Utah's aerospace economy and benefit rural areas with potential launch sites. The committee voted by voice to recommend SB 132 to the full Senate. Committee members praised participating state agencies, including UDOT for logistical support, and encouraged continued interagency coordination as the project advances.

SB 132 now goes to the full Senate for further consideration.