Bill Text: TX SB1459 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to benefits and incentives for media production in this state.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-03-16 - Referred to Natural Resources & Economic Development [SB1459 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-SB1459-Introduced.html
| 88R13065 LRM-D | ||
| By: Miles | S.B. No. 1459 | |
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| relating to benefits and incentives for media production in this | ||
| state. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Section 485A.002(3), Government Code, is amended | ||
| to read as follows: | ||
| (3) "Moving image project" means a visual and sound | ||
| production, including a film, a television program, streaming | ||
| content, a national or multistate commercial, or a digital | ||
| interactive media production. The term does not include a | ||
| production that is obscene, as defined by Section 43.21, Penal | ||
| Code. | ||
| SECTION 2. Chapter 485A, Government Code, is amended by | ||
| adding Subchapter G to read as follows: | ||
| SUBCHAPTER G. MEDIA PRODUCTION FACILITY INCENTIVE PROGRAM | ||
| Sec. 485A.301. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: | ||
| (1) "In-state construction spending" means the amount | ||
| of money spent by a production company on the acquisition, | ||
| construction, conversion, renovation, or lease of a media | ||
| production facility. | ||
| (2) "Production company" has the meaning assigned by | ||
| Section 485.021. | ||
| Sec. 485A.302. MEDIA PRODUCTION FACILITY INCENTIVE | ||
| PROGRAM. (a) Using gifts, grants, donations, and appropriations | ||
| made available to the office for that purpose, the office shall | ||
| administer a grant program for production companies that: | ||
| (1) construct media production facilities at a | ||
| qualified media production location; or | ||
| (2) convert existing buildings or structures into | ||
| media production facilities at a qualified media production | ||
| location. | ||
| (b) The office shall develop a procedure for the submission | ||
| of grant applications and the awarding of grants under this | ||
| subchapter. The procedure must include: | ||
| (1) requirements for the submission, before facility | ||
| construction or conversion begins, of an estimate of total in-state | ||
| construction spending; and | ||
| (2) provisions relating to the submission of other | ||
| information considered useful and necessary by the office for an | ||
| adequate and accurate analysis of a production company's | ||
| qualifications for a grant under this subchapter. | ||
| (c) A production company is not required to reapply for a | ||
| grant under this subchapter for each year of the 10-year period | ||
| described by Section 485A.303(2). | ||
| (d) The office may accept gifts, grants, and donations for | ||
| the purpose of implementing this subchapter. | ||
| Sec. 485A.303. QUALIFICATION. To qualify for a media | ||
| production facility grant under this subchapter, a production | ||
| company must: | ||
| (1) be a: | ||
| (A) limited liability company, partnership, or | ||
| corporation formed or organized under the laws of this state; or | ||
| (B) joint venture or other legal entity in which | ||
| at least one entity that holds at least a 30 percent ownership | ||
| interest is a limited liability company, partnership, or | ||
| corporation formed or organized under the laws of this state; and | ||
| (2) commit to either constructing a media production | ||
| facility or converting an existing building or structure into a | ||
| media production facility and producing moving image projects for a | ||
| 10-year period. | ||
| Sec. 485A.304. GRANT. The amount of a media production | ||
| facility grant under this subchapter is determined as follows: | ||
| (1) if the production company spent at least $2 | ||
| million but less than $4 million on the facility, the amount of the | ||
| grant is equal to 10 percent of in-state construction spending on | ||
| the facility; or | ||
| (2) if the production company spent at least $4 | ||
| million on the facility, the amount of the grant is equal to 20 | ||
| percent of in-state construction spending on the facility. | ||
| Sec. 485A.305. ADDITIONAL GRANT FOR UNDERUTILIZED AND | ||
| ECONOMICALLY DISTRESSED AREAS. In addition to the grants | ||
| calculated under Sections 485A.304 and 485A.306, a production | ||
| company that constructs a media production facility or converts an | ||
| existing building or structure into a media production facility in | ||
| an underutilized and economically distressed area is eligible for | ||
| an additional grant in an amount equal to 7.5 percent of the total | ||
| amount of the production company's in-state construction spending | ||
| for the facility. | ||
| Sec. 485A.306. ADDITIONAL GRANT FOR CERTAIN MEDIA | ||
| PRODUCTION FACILITIES. (a) In addition to the grants calculated | ||
| under Sections 485A.304 and 485A.305, a production company is | ||
| eligible for an additional grant in an amount equal to 7.5 percent | ||
| of the total amount of the company's in-state construction spending | ||
| for a media production facility if: | ||
| (1) the company constructs the facility or converts | ||
| the building or structure to produce projects with a focus on | ||
| persons from diverse ethnic backgrounds; and | ||
| (2) at least 35 percent of the persons employed at the | ||
| facility are women or are from diverse ethnic backgrounds. | ||
| (b) The office shall adopt rules prescribing the method by | ||
| which the office will determine whether a production company meets | ||
| the requirements for an additional grant under this section. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. | ||
