Mississippi Senate Bill SB2859

Mississippi 2023 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/16/23
• Refer: 1/16/23
• Failed: 1/31/23

Caption

Television series production; provide incentives for certain.

Impact

The bill amends existing provisions of the Mississippi Motion Picture Incentive Act by permitting production companies to claim rebates based on their expenditures in the state. These rebates focus on qualifying investments made in Mississippi, with specific eligibility criteria established regarding the percentage of expenses that can be claimed. This change is expected to bolster local economies by encouraging both the inflow of production projects and the hiring of residents in the state, as well as providing additional benefits for hiring veterans.

Summary

Senate Bill 2859 aims to provide financial incentives for motion picture production companies engaged in creating nationally distributed television series in Mississippi. Specifically, it offers rebates on a portion of the investment and expenditures made by these companies when they produce connected sets of television episodes consisting of at least two episodes. These episodes can be distributed through traditional television channels, digital streaming platforms, or DVD releases. This incentive is intended to promote economic development within the state by drawing in more production activity and associated job creation.

Contention

There are potential contentions surrounding the bill, particularly regarding the implications of tax rebates for large production companies and how they may benefit from public funds. Some may argue that while the intent is to stimulate economic growth, the financial aspects of these incentives could lead to arguments over equitable taxation policies or public funding allocation, especially if the benefits are not equally accessible to smaller local productions. Additionally, there may be debates over how the bill aligns with local needs and priorities if large production companies dominate the market.