Bill Text: MS HB1500 | 2026 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Motion Picture and Television Competitiveness Incentive Pilot Program; require MDA to establish.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Failed) 2026-02-03 - Died In Committee [HB1500 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2026-HB1500-Introduced.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2026 Regular Session
To: Ways and Means
By: Representative Crosby
House Bill 1500
AN ACT TO PROVIDE THAT THE MISSISSIPPI DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY SHALL ESTABLISH THE MOTION PICTURE AND TELEVISION COMPETITIVENESS INCENTIVE PILOT PROGRAM TO ATTRACT, RETAIN, AND SUPPORT MAJOR MOTION PICTURE, TELEVISION, AND DIGITAL MEDIA PRODUCTIONS FILMING WITHIN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI; TO CREATE THE "MOTION PICTURE AND TELEVISION COMPETITIVENESS INCENTIVE PILOT PROGRAM FUND" AS A SPECIAL FUND IN THE STATE TREASURY; TO PROVIDE THAT THE FUND SHALL BE ADMINISTERED BY THE MISSISSIPPI DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY AND USED FOR PROVIDING INCENTIVES UNDER THIS ACT; TO PROVIDE THE PURPOSES FOR WHICH INCENTIVES PROVIDED UNDER THIS ACT MAY BE USED; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. (1) The Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) shall establish the Motion Picture and Television Competitiveness Incentive Pilot Program ("program") for the purpose of attracting, retaining, and supporting major motion picture, television, and digital media productions filming within the State of Mississippi.
(2) There is created in the State Treasury a special fund to be designated as the "Motion Picture and Television Competitiveness Incentive Pilot Program Fund", which shall consist of monies appropriated or otherwise made available by the Legislature, and any other funds designated for deposit therein. The fund shall be maintained by the State Treasurer as a separate and special fund, separate and apart from the General Fund of the state. Unexpended amounts remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not lapse into the State General Fund, and any investment earnings or interest earned on amounts in the fund shall be deposited to the credit of the fund. The fund shall be administered by the MDA and monies in the fund shall be expended by the MDA, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for the purposes provided in this section.
(3) (a) The MDA shall use monies in the fund to provide financial incentives, grants, or rebates to eligible motion picture, television, and digital media productions that incur qualified production expenditures within the State of Mississippi. Eligible productions may include, but shall not be limited to:
(i) Feature-length motion pictures;
(ii) Episodic television series;
(iii) Streaming platform productions;
(iv) Documentaries; and
(v) Other digital media productions approved by the MDA.
(b) In awarding incentives under this section, the MDA shall establish eligibility and prioritization criteria, which may include, but shall not be limited to:
(i) Total in-state production expenditures;
(ii) Employment of Mississippi residents and use of Mississippi-based vendors;
(iii) Length of production and number of filming days within the state;
(iv) Economic impact on local communities, including lodging, food services, transportation, and tourism;
(v) Filming in rural, underserved, or economically distressed areas of the state; and
(vi) Overall competitiveness of the incentive package relative to other states.
(c) Funds awarded as incentives under this section may be used for, but shall not be limited to:
(i) Qualified production expenditures incurred within the State of Mississippi;
(ii) Payroll costs for Mississippi residents and approved nonresident crew;
(iii) Location fees, equipment rental, and production services obtained from Mississippi-based providers;
(iv) Post-production services performed within the state; and
(v) Other costs determined by the MDA to be reasonable, necessary, and directly related to production activity in Mississippi.
Funds awarded as incentives under this section shall not be used for campaign, political, or personal purposes, nor for direct payments to individuals unrelated to an approved production.
(4) The MDA shall require productions participating in the program to submit post-production reports detailing in-state expenditures, employment impacts, and other economic metrics as determined by the MDA. All expenditures made pursuant to this section shall be subject to audit by the Office of the State Auditor.
(5) The MDA may promulgate rules, guidelines, and application procedures necessary to administer the program, including certification, documentation, auditing, and reporting requirements. The MDA shall ensure that awards made under this section are coordinated with existing state and federal film or economic development incentives to avoid duplication and maximize economic return to the state.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2026.
