Georgia House Passes Space Flight Act

The Georgia House of Representatives has approved a bill that would prevent spaceflight participants and their heirs from suing spaceflight providers and equipment suppliers for injuries and deaths except in limited circumstances.

The Georgia Space Flight Act would require passengers to sign an agreement waiving their rights before stepping aboard a spacecraft. The protections would not apply if a participant’s injury or death were caused by a “space flight entity’s gross negligence evidencing willful or wanton disregard for the safety of the space flight participant; or intentionally caused by a space flight entity.”

The measure now goes to the Georgia Senate for a vote.

The text of the warning passengers would have to sign prior to boarding a spacecraft is reproduced below.

Warning and Agreement

Under Georgia law there is no liability for injury, death, or other loss resulting from any inherent risks of space flight activities. Such inherent risks of space flight activities include, without limitation, the potential for serious bodily injury, sickness, permanent disability, paralysis, and loss of life; exposure to extreme conditions and circumstances; accidents, contact, or collision with other space flight participants, space flight vehicles, and equipment; and dangers arising from adverse weather conditions and equipment failure.

I understand and acknowledge that by signing this warning and agreement, I have expressly accepted and assumed all risks and responsibilities for injury, death, and other loss that may result from the inherent risks associated with participation in any space flight activities. I further understand and agree that by signing this warning and agreement, I have expressly waived all claims of my heirs, executors, administrators, successors, and assignees for any injury, death, and other loss that may result from my participation in any space flight activities due to the inherent risks associated with participation in space flight activities.

Further warning: do not sign unless you have read and understood this warning and agreement.