Texas House passes $300 million film incentive bill. Here’s what happens next
The Texas House passed a Senate bill that would increase the state’s film incentive fund to its highest total yet.
After an amendment, Senate Bill 22, filed by Sen. Joan Huffman (R- Houston), authorizes the Texas Comptroller to deposit $300 million into the Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Fund every two years until 2035. This would greatly increase the $200 million biennium that Texas lawmakers passed in 2023.
The Texas Senate passed the bill in 23-8 vote in mid-April. Now, about a month later, the Texas House passed the same bill, 114-26, on May 26.
$500 million was the initial figure associated with this bill, but the House amended the bill to only allow for $300 million in film incentives.
Film incentives are essentially tax credits that motivate film and television productions to work in certain states.
In addition to Texas, more than 30 states have film incentive programs, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Texas has slowly added more to the incentive fund over the last decade, with SB 22 being the largest allocation thus far.
‘A monumental day’
Nonprofit Media for Texas has been at the forefront of film incentive conversation and was ecstatic about the bill passing in the House.
“While the bill’s funding was adjusted from the original $500 million to $300 million, this remains a landmark investment in the future of media production across the state,” Media for Texas co-founders Chase Musslewhite and Grant Wood said in a statement. “There are a few final steps ahead, but today’s vote gives us strong confidence that SB22 will soon make its way to Governor Abbott’s desk for final approval.”
Several Texas actors and filmmakers have also campaigned for SB 22 and the House equivalent — HB 4568 — which remains in committee.
Uvalde native Matthew McConaughey and Midland native Woody Harrelson spoke at public hearings for both Senate and House bills this session. “Landman” creator and Fort Worth native Taylor Sheridan, and Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker, also both spoke in support of the film incentive bills.
“One of the only regrets of my 33-year career in film and television, is not making more of my films here in Texas,” McConaughey told House members at an April 23 public hearing. “Especially the [films] that were about Texas, or the ones that were set in Texas.”
What comes next?
SB 22 still has a ways to go before landing on Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk.
Since it’s a Senate bill that the House amended, it now heads back to the Senate for senators to approve the House changes. Or, the Senate can send the bill to a conference committee, which is comprised of five members from each chamber who will resolve the differences between the House and Senate versions.
Once there’s a comprised version of the bill from the conference committee, it would need approval in both the House and Senate. Once approved in both chambers, the bill heads to Abbott’s desk to sign into law.
The 89th Texas Legislature’s regular session ends June 2.
This story was originally published May 27, 2025 at 2:26 PM.
