This provision creates the Alabama Space Science Exhibit Commission, renames it to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center Commission starting October 1, 2025, and gives the commission powers to manage facilities, leases, property, and related exhibit operations.
(a) There is created and established a state agency to be known as the Alabama Space Science Exhibit Commission, which shall be a public body corporate with all the powers and privileges of a corporation, for the purpose of providing for and participating in the management and control of facilities to house and display visual exhibits of space exploration and hardware used therefor as may be made available by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The facility shall constitute a permanent housing for the national aeronautics and space administration exhibit, which shall be open to the general public and shall be located at a place to be designated and made available in Madison County for a nominal cost through the cooperation of the Department of the Army and other public and private partners, where feasible, or at other locations as the commission may deem appropriate. (b)(1) Commencing on October 1, 2025, the name of the Alabama Space Science Exhibit Commission shall be the U.S. Space and Rocket Center Commission, and all rights, duties, property, real or personal, and all other effects existing in the name of the Alabama Space Science Exhibit Commission, or in any other name by which the commission has been known, shall continue in the name of the U.S. Space and Rocket Center Commission. Any existing or future reference to the Alabama Space Science Exhibit Commission, or any other name by which the commission has been known, in any existing law, contract, or other instrument, shall constitute a reference to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center Commission. (2) A reasonable transition period for the name change shall be allowed to permit an orderly and cost-effective transition relating particularly to the use of equipment and supplies. All letterhead, business cards, forms, and any other materials in use by the commission containing the name Alabama Space Science Exhibit Commission shall continue to be used by the U.S. Space and Rocket Center Commission until the supplies are exhausted. Replacement supplies shall contain the name of the U.S. Space and Rocket Center Commission. (c) The commission may do any of the following: (1) Provide facilities as mutually agreed upon between the commission and the Department of the Army, or other public and private partners, where feasible, for the housing and display of army weaponry and mementos of national defense. (2) Establish an energy information and exhibit center in order to provide information to the public on research and development in the field of energy as developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Department of the Army, the Energy Research and Development Administration, other federal and state agencies, including universities and colleges, and other public and private sectors engaged in energy related activities. (3) Construct or otherwise acquire, whether by purchase, construction, exchange, gift, lease, or otherwise, lodging and other similar facilities, including parking facilities and facilities for meetings, for use by visitors to the permanent exhibit of the commission and users of the commission’s visitors’ center. In connection therewith, the commission may acquire any land or construct or acquire buildings or other improvements and all real and personal properties deemed necessary by the commission for such purpose, whether or not now in existence. The commission may lease to others any facilities and may also lease lands of the commission on which the facilities may be constructed and charge and collect rent therefor, and terminate any lease upon the failure of the lessee to comply with any of the obligations thereof. The commission may also sell, exchange, or convey and grant options to any lessee to acquire any facilities and may lease lands of the commission on which the facilities may be constructed whenever the commission finds any action to be in furtherance of the purpose for which the commission was organized.