KY Senate Approves Bill Aimed at Boosting Kentucky's Film Industry

FRANKFORT — A bill that seeks to boost Kentucky’s film industry received unanimous approval from the Senate on Tuesday after supporters said the state’s charm and natural beauty provide major draws for filmmaking. 

Sen. Phillip Wheeler, R-Pikeville, said the proposed legislation will centralize efforts to attract movie producers to Kentucky and spur the economy. The Kentucky film, motion picture and sound recording industry generated $200 million in revenues in 2022, and in turn, probably helped other businesses in the state garner another $128 million, he said. 

The legislation would establish the Kentucky Film Office within the state Cabinet for Economic Development. It would also create the Kentucky Film Leadership Council and call on state tourism, labor and economic development officials to develop comprehensive film industry strategies.

“Senate Bill 1 is Kentucky’s effort to bring itself to the world through the motion picture film industry. For many years, Kentucky has had in place some of the most generous film tax incentives in the entire country,” Wheeler said. “And yet we have not fully taken advantage of a job employment and economic opportunities that film production has for the commonwealth.” 

At the heart of the bill is a centralized infrastructure plan to capitalize on the full potential of film production. The film office would serve as a hub for marketing, industry coordination, and workforce development and solidify Kentucky’s position as an attractive destination for film production, he said. 

“A dedicated Kentucky film office will help maximize incentives, track major productions and remove unnecessary roadblocks for filmmakers. And why do we know this will bring economic success in Kentucky? We’ve seen other examples, perhaps most notably Georgia, which has formed a multi-billion-dollar industry based upon film production as well as film tourism,” Wheeler said. 

Staff at the film office would work closely with local and regional film offices and tourism offices to streamline permitting and market Kentucky as a prime location for film production. 

They also would assist the state’s production companies in navigating the Kentucky Entertainment Incentive Program and facilitate the development of a skilled workforce in collaboration with film studios and training programs, he said. 

Also speaking in favor of the measure was bill co-sponsor Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester. He shared stories with other legislators about naysayers, but said Kentucky is in fact drawing interest from filmmakers. 

Stivers pointed out that Asbury University in Wilmore is probably one of the leading postsecondary institutions in the nation for steering people to pursue careers in film and television production. 

He said he received calls over the weekend from people on the west coast who want to negotiate coming to Kentucky to work.

“What more can we do for creating an environment for diversification, education and economic development than creating a coordinating body that the secretary and his staff and us as policy makers recognize as quite the viable entity to project us into a realm that we have not been in and been competitive because we lack this structure,” he said. 

Sen. Shelley Funke Frommeyer, R-Alexandria, called the measure a “workforce attraction” bill and perhaps one of the biggest things the legislature will do for decades.

“This is an invitation to all of our Kentuckians to find a place, to find a home,” she said mentioning that many people in the film industry work in support roles and aren’t actors. 

Sen. Karen Berg, D-Louisville, said her house was used for filming last January. Sixty-five people in a crew filmed scenes for an upcoming movie featuring Al Pacino. 

Senate Majority Caucus Chair Robby Mills, R-Henderson, added that in 1992, there were nearly 800 people in Henderson and Evansville filming “A League of Their Own,” and it had a tremendous economic impact on Hendersonville and the tri-state area. 

“I want to thank the senators for their sponsorship of this and look forward to the growth in tourism to come,” he said. 

The bill now heads to the House.