AUSTIN, Texas — In a major step toward revitalizing its entertainment sector, the Texas Senate on April 16 passed Senate Bill 22, authorizing a $500 million investment through 2035 into the Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Fund. The bill, designed to make Texas more competitive with other major film production hubs, received bipartisan support and prominent endorsements from Texas-born actors Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson.
Senator Joan Huffman (R-Houston), the bill’s author, framed the legislation as both an economic development strategy and a cultural investment. The bill proposes allocating $500 million every two years until 2035—far exceeding previous funding levels for the state’s film incentive program. The aim is to lure back high-budget film and television productions that have increasingly migrated to states like Georgia and New Mexico, where financial incentives are more robust.
“This is about more than Hollywood,” Huffman stated. “It’s about creating jobs in every region of our state—from set design in Austin to catering in San Antonio. When we invest in this industry, we invest in Texas workers.”
Texas natives and Hollywood veterans McConaughey and Harrelson lent high-profile support to the effort, testifying before the Senate Finance Committee earlier this spring. McConaughey emphasized that Texas has lost an estimated 80% of its film and television productions over the past decade due to more attractive incentive programs elsewhere. He argued that boosting the state’s film fund could reverse that trend and even draw expatriate creatives back home.
“The talent’s here. The stories are here. We just need to keep the cameras rolling here,” McConaughey said during his testimony.
The proposed funding is not just about attracting big-name productions—it also aims to support local economies and veterans. Productions that hire veterans for at least 5% of their crew would qualify for an additional 2.5% incentive, a provision seen as particularly relevant to San Antonio, often called “Military City USA.”
Backers say the bill could be transformative for communities across Texas, from rural towns to urban centers. According to data from the Texas Film Commission, the existing incentive program, though modestly funded in recent years, has already delivered approximately $2.5 billion in economic impact and supported nearly 200,000 jobs since its inception in 2007.
Still, not all lawmakers are aligned. Some expressed concerns over the content of certain productions that have received state funding in the past. Senator Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston) criticized what he described as “negative portrayals” of Texas values in some films and shows. He proposed future oversight to ensure funded productions reflect a more positive image of the state.
While cultural content remains a sticking point for some conservatives, the bill’s broad economic appeal has garnered sufficient momentum to move it forward. The legislation now heads to the Texas House of Representatives, where it is expected to face further scrutiny but also significant support from lawmakers eager to stimulate economic growth through the creative sector.
Industry advocates are optimistic that this bill could signal a turning point for Texas in the national film production landscape. Currently, states like Georgia offer uncapped tax credits that have attracted major blockbusters and long-running TV series. Texas’s revamped fund could bring back productions that once called the Lone Star State home, including classics like Friday Night Lights and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
If enacted, Senate Bill 22 would represent the largest investment in Texas’s film and television industry in the state’s history. Supporters believe the infusion of capital could solidify Texas as a top-tier destination for media production, while simultaneously benefiting local workers, small businesses, and regional economies.
