Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1459 Compare Versions

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Version 2 (New)

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1	1	88R13065 LRM-D
2	2	By: Miles S.B. No. 1459
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to benefits and incentives for media production in this
8	8	state.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Section 485A.002(3), Government Code, is amended
11	11	to read as follows:
12	12	(3) "Moving image project" means a visual and sound
13	13	production, including a film, a television program, streaming
14	14	content, a national or multistate commercial, or a digital
15	15	interactive media production. The term does not include a
16	16	production that is obscene, as defined by Section 43.21, Penal
17	17	Code.
18	18	SECTION 2. Chapter 485A, Government Code, is amended by
19	19	adding Subchapter G to read as follows:
20	20	SUBCHAPTER G. MEDIA PRODUCTION FACILITY INCENTIVE PROGRAM
21	21	Sec. 485A.301. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
22	22	(1) "In-state construction spending" means the amount
23	23	of money spent by a production company on the acquisition,
24	24	construction, conversion, renovation, or lease of a media
25	25	production facility.
26	26	(2) "Production company" has the meaning assigned by
27	27	Section 485.021.
28	28	Sec. 485A.302. MEDIA PRODUCTION FACILITY INCENTIVE
29	29	PROGRAM. (a) Using gifts, grants, donations, and appropriations
30	30	made available to the office for that purpose, the office shall
31	31	administer a grant program for production companies that:
32	32	(1) construct media production facilities at a
33	33	qualified media production location; or
34	34	(2) convert existing buildings or structures into
35	35	media production facilities at a qualified media production
36	36	location.
37	37	(b) The office shall develop a procedure for the submission
38	38	of grant applications and the awarding of grants under this
39	39	subchapter. The procedure must include:
40	40	(1) requirements for the submission, before facility
41	41	construction or conversion begins, of an estimate of total in-state
42	42	construction spending; and
43	43	(2) provisions relating to the submission of other
44	44	information considered useful and necessary by the office for an
45	45	adequate and accurate analysis of a production company's
46	46	qualifications for a grant under this subchapter.
47	47	(c) A production company is not required to reapply for a
48	48	grant under this subchapter for each year of the 10-year period
49	49	described by Section 485A.303(2).
50	50	(d) The office may accept gifts, grants, and donations for
51	51	the purpose of implementing this subchapter.
52	52	Sec. 485A.303. QUALIFICATION. To qualify for a media
53	53	production facility grant under this subchapter, a production
54	54	company must:
55	55	(1) be a:
56	56	(A) limited liability company, partnership, or
57	57	corporation formed or organized under the laws of this state; or
58	58	(B) joint venture or other legal entity in which
59	59	at least one entity that holds at least a 30 percent ownership
60	60	interest is a limited liability company, partnership, or
61	61	corporation formed or organized under the laws of this state; and
62	62	(2) commit to either constructing a media production
63	63	facility or converting an existing building or structure into a
64	64	media production facility and producing moving image projects for a
65	65	10-year period.
66	66	Sec. 485A.304. GRANT. The amount of a media production
67	67	facility grant under this subchapter is determined as follows:
68	68	(1) if the production company spent at least $2
69	69	million but less than $4 million on the facility, the amount of the
70	70	grant is equal to 10 percent of in-state construction spending on
71	71	the facility; or
72	72	(2) if the production company spent at least $4
73	73	million on the facility, the amount of the grant is equal to 20
74	74	percent of in-state construction spending on the facility.
75	75	Sec. 485A.305. ADDITIONAL GRANT FOR UNDERUTILIZED AND
76	76	ECONOMICALLY DISTRESSED AREAS. In addition to the grants
77	77	calculated under Sections 485A.304 and 485A.306, a production
78	78	company that constructs a media production facility or converts an
79	79	existing building or structure into a media production facility in
80	80	an underutilized and economically distressed area is eligible for
81	81	an additional grant in an amount equal to 7.5 percent of the total
82	82	amount of the production company's in-state construction spending
83	83	for the facility.
84	84	Sec. 485A.306. ADDITIONAL GRANT FOR CERTAIN MEDIA
85	85	PRODUCTION FACILITIES. (a) In addition to the grants calculated
86	86	under Sections 485A.304 and 485A.305, a production company is
87	87	eligible for an additional grant in an amount equal to 7.5 percent
88	88	of the total amount of the company's in-state construction spending
89	89	for a media production facility if:
90	90	(1) the company constructs the facility or converts
91	91	the building or structure to produce projects with a focus on
92	92	persons from diverse ethnic backgrounds; and
93	93	(2) at least 35 percent of the persons employed at the
94	94	facility are women or are from diverse ethnic backgrounds.
95	95	(b) The office shall adopt rules prescribing the method by
96	96	which the office will determine whether a production company meets
97	97	the requirements for an additional grant under this section.
98	98	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.