UT
Utah Senate Bill SB0062

Utah 2025 Regular Session

Utah Senate Bill SB0062 Compare Versions

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1-Enrolled Copy S.B. 62
1+03-06 17:03 4th Sub. (Pumpkin) S.B. 62
2+Val L. Peterson proposes the following substitute bill:
23 1
34 Spaceport Exploration Committee
45 2025 GENERAL SESSION
56 STATE OF UTAH
67 Chief Sponsor: Jerry W. Stevenson
78 House Sponsor: Val L. Peterson
89 2
910
1011 3
1112 LONG TITLE
1213 4
1314 General Description:
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1516 This bill creates the Spaceport Exploration Committee.
1617 6
1718 Highlighted Provisions:
1819 7
1920 This bill:
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2122 ▸ creates the Spaceport Exploration Committee; and
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2324 ▸ establishes membership and duties of the committee.
2425 10
2526 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
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2728 This bill appropriates $1,000,000 in operating and capital budgets for fiscal year 2026, all
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2930 of which is from the various sources as detailed in this bill.
3031 13
3132 Other Special Clauses:
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3334 None
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3536 Utah Code Sections Affected:
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3738 AMENDS:
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3940 63I-1-272, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2024, Third Special Session, Chapter 5
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4142 ENACTS:
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4344 72-10-1301, Utah Code Annotated 1953
4445 20
4546 72-10-1302, Utah Code Annotated 1953
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4748 72-10-1303, Utah Code Annotated 1953
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4950
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5152 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
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5354 Section 1. Section 63I-1-272 is amended to read:
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5556 63I-1-272 . Repeal dates: Title 72.
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5758 (1) Section 72-2-134, Transportation Infrastructure General Fund Support Subfund, is
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5960 repealed July 1, 2027.
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61-(2) Title 72, Chapter 4, Part 3, Utah State Scenic Byway Program, is repealed January 2, S.B. 62 Enrolled Copy
62+(2) Title 72, Chapter 4, Part 3, Utah State Scenic Byway Program, is repealed January 2,
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6364 2030.
65+4th Sub. S.B. 62 4th Sub. (Pumpkin) S.B. 62 03-06 17:03
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6567 (3) Title 72, Chapter 10, Part 13, Spaceport Exploration Committee, is repealed July 1,
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6769 2027.
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6971 Section 2. Section 72-10-1301 is enacted to read:
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7173
7274 CHAPTER 10. AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ACT
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7476
7577 Part 13. Spaceport Exploration Committee
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7779 72-10-1301 . Definitions.
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7981 As used in this part:
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8183 (1) "Committee" means the Spaceport Exploration Committee created in Section
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8385 72-10-1302.
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8587 (2) "Spaceport feasibility study" means a study to determine the feasibility of establishing a
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8789 spaceport and that includes:
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8991 (a) a market analysis that evaluates the demand for space launch services, including
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9193 potential government, commercial, and international customers and competitors;
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9395 (b) an economic impact assessment that analyzes the projected economic benefits of
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9597 developing a spaceport, including job creation, local business growth, revenue
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9799 generation, and an analysis of projected customers that could use the spaceport;
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99101 (c) a business case that describes how the spaceport could meet customer needs and
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101103 attract private financing for the spaceport;
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103105 (d) detailed cost estimates for construction, operation, and maintenance of a spaceport,
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105107 including infrastructure, technology, and human resources;
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107109 (e) consideration of the activities at the spaceport that the committee identifies the
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109111 spaceport should support; and
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111113 (f) in consultation with the Utah National Guard and the Utah Test and Training Range,
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113115 an assessment of opportunities to leverage military airspace and infrastructure and
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115117 uses the military might have for a spaceport.
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117119 (3) "Spaceport siting assessment" means an assessment that is informed by the results of a
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119121 spaceport feasibility study to determine potential locations for a spaceport that includes
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121123 an analysis of:
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123125 (a) the extent to which the site can accomplish the spaceport objectives that the
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125127 committee identifies;
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127129 (b) geographic and environmental considerations, including the site's size, location, and
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129131 environmental impact;
130-- 2 - Enrolled Copy S.B. 62
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132133 (c) whether the site is remote enough to minimize risk to populated areas and complies
134+- 2 - 03-06 17:03 4th Sub. (Pumpkin) S.B. 62
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134136 with environmental regulations;
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136138 (d) infrastructure needs, including existing infrastructure and upgrades needed to support
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138140 spaceport resources including launchpads, control centers, roads, utilities, and
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140142 facilities;
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142144 (e) potential sources of significant infrastructure upgrades;
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144146 (f) accessibility, including consideration for the site's accessibility for transportation and
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146148 logistics;
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148150 (g) connections to major highways, airports, and ports;
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150152 (h) regulatory compliance with applicable federal law, including regulations from the
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152154 Federal Aviation Administration and Environmental Protection Agency;
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154156 (i) resources the state may leverage for a particular site, including tax benefits, land
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156158 ownership, land use authority, and regulatory benefits;
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158160 (j) whether the site preserves the viability of the Utah Test and Training Range and all
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160162 Department of Defense missions in the state;
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162164 (k) the existing uses and needs of Utah airspace, including for an international airport in
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164166 a county of the first class; and
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166168 (l) activities that the committee identifies that the spaceport should support.
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168170 (4) "Supported activities" means the types of activities that could occur at a spaceport
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170172 including:
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172174 (a) satellite launches;
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174176 (b) scientific missions;
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176178 (c) national defense missions;
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178180 (d) commercial space flights;
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180182 (e) space exploration;
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182184 (f) space cargo and resupply missions;
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184186 (g) space tourism; and
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186188 (h) space industry research and development.
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188190 Section 3. Section 72-10-1302 is enacted to read:
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190192 72-10-1302 . Spaceport Exploration Committee creation.
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192194 (1) There is created the Spaceport Exploration Committee, comprising of the following
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194196 members:
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196198 (a) two members of the Senate, whom the president of the Senate appoints;
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198200 (b) two members of the House of Representatives, whom the speaker of the House of
199-- 3 - S.B. 62 Enrolled Copy
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201202 Representatives appoints;
203+- 3 - 4th Sub. (Pumpkin) S.B. 62 03-06 17:03
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203205 (c) the executive director of the department or the executive director's designee;
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205207 (d) the executive director of the Utah Inland Port Authority created in Section 11-58-201;
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207209 (e) the president, or the president's designee, of a nonprofit organization owned by Utah
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209211 State University that is a University Affiliated Research Center that specializes in
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211213 aerospace technology, missions, and defense;
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213215 (f) two liaisons from local military organizations, whom the co-chairs jointly appoint;
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215217 (g) the president of the state's largest aerospace and defense industry group as certified
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217219 by the executive director of the department;
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219221 (h) the executive director of an international airport within a county of the first class, or
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221223 the executive director's designee; and
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223225 (i) four members whom the governor appoints.
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225227 (2) The following shall co-chair the committee:
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227229 (a) a committee member that is a legislator described in Subsection (1)(a) or (1)(b)
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229231 whom the speaker of the House of Representatives and the president of the Senate
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231233 jointly designate; and
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233235 (b) a committee member whom the governor selects.
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235237 (3) When a vacancy occurs in the membership for any reason, the appointing authority or
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237239 qualification described in Subsection (1) applies to the replacement in the same manner
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239241 as the filling of the original position.
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241243 (4) A majority of members of the committee constitutes a quorum.
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243245 (5) A member may not receive compensation or benefits for the member's service, but may
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245247 receive per diem and travel expenses as allowed in:
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247249 (a) Section 63A-3-106;
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249251 (b) Section 63A-3-107; and
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251253 (c) rules made by the Division of Finance according to Sections 63A-3-106 and
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253255 63A-3-107.
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255257 (6) The department shall provide staffing and administrative support to the committee.
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257259 Section 4. Section 72-10-1303 is enacted to read:
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259261 72-10-1303 . Spaceport Exploration Committee duties.
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261263 (1) The committee shall:
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263265 (a) establish key objectives that the state should pursue in establishing a spaceport;
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265267 (b) evaluate the supported activities that would be most feasible for a spaceport in the
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267269 state;
268-- 4 - Enrolled Copy S.B. 62
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270271 (c) conduct a spaceport feasibility study;
272+- 4 - 03-06 17:03 4th Sub. (Pumpkin) S.B. 62
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272274 (d) conduct a spaceport siting assessment;
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274276 (e) evaluate the advantages and disadvantages the state has in establishing a spaceport;
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276278 and
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278280 (f) make recommendations to the Legislature regarding whether it is in the state's best
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280282 interest to establish a spaceport.
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282284 (2) The committee may:
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284286 (a) authorize the department to contract with one or more consultants to perform
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286288 research, analysis, and legal work, or to provide other assistance necessary to
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288290 accomplish the committee's duties;
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290292 (b) establish any advisory committees or working groups needed to fulfill the
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292294 committee's responsibilities;
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294296 (c) by majority vote, add up to three non-voting committee members; and
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296298 (d) appoint one or more working groups to advise and assist the committee.
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298300 (3) The committee shall:
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300302 (a) create a report that:
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302304 (i) details the committee's conclusions on the items described in Subsection (1); and
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304306 (ii) includes recommendations on legislation needed to implement the committee's
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306308 conclusions; and
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308310 (b) report to the Economic Development and Workforce Services Interim Committee
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310312 and the Transportation Interim Committee no later than September 30, 2026.
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312314 Section 5. FY 2026 Appropriations.
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314316 The following sums of money are appropriated for the fiscal year beginning July 1,
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316318 2025, and ending June 30, 2026. These are additions to amounts previously appropriated for
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318320 fiscal year 2026.
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320322 Subsection 5(a). Operating and Capital Budgets
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322324 Under the terms and conditions of Title 63J, Chapter 1, Budgetary Procedures Act, the
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324326 Legislature appropriates the following sums of money from the funds or accounts indicated for
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326328 the use and support of the government of the state of Utah.
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328330 ITEM 1 To Transportation - Aeronautics
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330332 From General Fund Restricted - Industrial Assistance
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332334 Account, One-time 1,000,000
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334336 Schedule of Programs:
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336338 Administration 1,000,000
337-- 5 - S.B. 62 Enrolled Copy
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339340 Section 6. Effective Date.
341+- 5 - 4th Sub. (Pumpkin) S.B. 62 03-06 17:03
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341343 This bill takes effect on May 7, 2025.
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