AUSTIN, Texas — This week, creatives in the film industry are expressing their support for a new bill that would increase funding to encourage film productions to stay in Texas.
“We just need a long-term program to make this work for our industry,” said Chase Musslewhite, a Texas writer, director and the co-founder of Media for Texas.
New ‘Moving Image Industry Incentive Fund’
On Tuesday, State Sen. Joan Huffman filed Senate Bill 22, which would set aside $500 million every two years for the next 10 years for the “Moving Image Industry Incentive Fund.”
Television and film production companies would qualify for grants if they meet certain requirements, like spending $500,000 in Texas, filming at least 60% of the project in Texas and having at least 35% Texas residents on the cast and crew. That percentage goes up to 50% by 2031.
This session, lawmakers have welcomed Texas-born actors like Dennis Quaid, Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson to the Capitol. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has said establishing Texas as “America’s film capital” is one of his priorities for the session.
But in a post on social media, Patrick also said he doesn’t envision Texas becoming California anytime soon.
“We are not trying to make Texas the next Hollywood – we don’t like Hollywood. We want to export Texas values,” Patrick said in part.
Two other film incentive-related bills have also been filed, House Bill 1452 by State Rep. Giovanni Capriglione (R-Southlake) and a companion bill, House Bill 2212, by State Rep. Ben Bumgarner (R-Flower Mound).
According to Texas Film Commission records, for every dollar invested into the incentive programs, $4 will go back to the Texas economy.
But Musslewhite said it’s not the big-name stars and directors who will reap the benefits of these incentive programs – it’s everyday Texans.
“This is about employing Texans, and it’s not just people you see here on set,” Musslewhite said. “It’s hotels, it’s Home Depot making their money back by lumber, it’s flower shops for all the florals we buy, all the props, all the clothing. It trickles into every aspect of our economy basically.”
The incentives would also help out people like Celisa Martinez, a native Texan makeup artist who moved back to the Lone Star State to be closer to her family.
“We just want this to be a location for films and Texas filmmakers to come,” Martinez said. “I’m really excited to see where our bill will land.”
Musslewhite is passionate about keeping the work here in her home state, after the financier for her film told her it would only be greenlit if they moved production to Louisiana.
“It’s really silly to think that you have to move to a whole other state or go work in a different state for months on end – away from your children, away from your spouse – just to do the job and just to make a living,” Musslewhite said.
After last legislative session, Musslewhite and her co-founder, Grant Wood, created Media for Texas, a nonprofit working to increase state incentives and in-state productions.
Previous tax incentive programs in Texas
In 2023, Texas lawmakers more than doubled the tax incentive program called the Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Program (TMIIIP). At that time, the increase of the program to $200 million for the biennium was the largest increase it’s ever had.
Some current requirements for a tax incentive with TMIIIP are that 55% of the crew have to be Texas residents and 60% of the production has to be completed in Texas.
Last session, a group of Texas-born stars – including Dennis Quaid, Woody Harrelson, Matthew McConaughey, Billy Bob Thornton, Owen Wilson and Glen Powell – teamed up to create a video spotlighting the importance of increasing Texas’ film incentives and calling on lawmakers to increase funding to bring the film industry back to Texas. Some of those same actors teamed up again for a Super Bowl ad this year.
State Sen. Huffman’s SB 22 is currently in the Senate Finance Committee. A companion House bill is expected to be filed, but it has not been yet.