Monday, May 26 – The Texas House voted 114-26 today to approve Senate Bill 22, which dramatically expands the state’s film incentive program with a long-term funding mechanism — one that could reach up to $2.5 billion over the next decade. While the bill sets a ceiling of $500 million every two years, lawmakers expect the actual allocation to land closer to $300 million per biennium, creating a historic $1.5 billion runway to lure more film and television productions back to the Lone Star State.

“This is the make Texas film industry great again bill,” said Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, who led the bill on the House floor Sunday night. His delivery, theatrical and deliberate, followed hours of budget debate and was aimed at grabbing attention. “It looks like it’s had more different interpretations than I can count… but I want to be very, very clear.”

The bill passed after months of mounting momentum from Texas-based advocates and production leaders, including Taylor Sheridan, Matthew McConaughey, Dennis Quaid, and organizations like Media for Texas. It also drew vocal opposition from the conservative wing of the state GOP, who criticized the program as taxpayer-funded cronyism benefiting Hollywood studios with little oversight.

Still, the legislation appears poised for final approval by Gov. Greg Abbott, a major step forward in Texas’ bid to re-establish itself as a competitive, stable, and fully-contained production hub.

What’s in the Bill?

Senate Bill 22 establishes the Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Fund, a grant-based program for productions that shoot at least 60% of their project within the state. To qualify, projects must incrementally increase their use of Texas-based labor — starting with 35% of the crew in 2025 and rising by 5% every two years.

Covered expenses include wages for Texas workers, meals purchased in-state, and airfare booked through Texas-based airlines.

For feature films and TV shows with budgets of at least $1.5 million, the bill raises the potential incentive from 20% to 25%. An additional 2.5% bonus is available for productions filmed in underutilized areas or employing veterans as 5% of crew.

Hollywood in Texas — But on Texas’ Terms

While SB 22 was championed by star-studded advocates, its strongest message was rooted in localism. “We’re not trying to join the rat race,” said Chase Musslewhite of Media for Texas. “We just want to be baseline competitive. Our stories should be filmed in our state, by our people, with our crews.”

The bill follows recent examples of critically acclaimed, Texas-set productions like Hit Man and The Iron Claw being filmed in Louisiana, where incentives are more robust and consistent. Lawmakers and advocates argue SB 22 fixes that gap.

“There are tons of Texans who live in California and New York, all over the globe, because those opportunities weren’t here in Texas,” said Grant Wood, co-founder of Media for Texas. “We’ve been subsidizing the workforces of other states.”

Not Everyone’s on Board

Despite the broad bipartisan support, the bill sparked sharp backlash from the Republican Party’s far right. State Rep. David Lowe described the bill as a “handout to the same industry that mocked our values,” referencing Hollywood’s liberal leanings and past scandals.

Rep. Brian Harrison posted “Don’t Hollywood My Texas” dozens of times on social media in protest.

Supporters, including Musslewhite, say those concerns are misplaced. “That’s the full reason we’re doing this — so we’re kind of on the same page here. We really have amazing hopes for Texas to be a leader in this industry,” she said.

Why It Matters

Texas currently ranks behind states like Georgia and New Mexico in attracting film and TV production, largely due to inconsistent funding in past incentive cycles. The most recent biennium saw a $200 million allocation — itself a major jump from years prior, when funding ranged from $45 to $50 million per session.

SB 22 aims to reverse that volatility by offering long-term security and signaling that Texas is open for business — not just now, but for the next decade. For producers, that consistency makes brick-and-mortar studio investment more attractive, and for crew, it brings jobs back home.

According to the Texas Film Commission, the program already produces a 469% return on investment — a figure contested by some economists but nevertheless cited by supporters as evidence of its fiscal value.

A Statewide Vision

The bill also encourages productions to explore Texas beyond Austin and Dallas. Incentives are structured to reward filming in rural or underutilized regions — helping to distribute the economic impact statewide.

“We want to see our state become a fully enclosed industry,” said Wood. “Projects financed, developed, produced, and distributed all from right here.”

At least 10 productions are already planning to apply for SB 22 incentives once they become available on September 1.

“Texas doesn’t need to become Hollywood,” Musslewhite said. “Texas just needs to become Texas — and show the world what we can build.”