Bill Text: MS HB859 | 2014 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Tourism; create study committee on entertainment industry investment.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2014-03-17 - Approved by Governor [HB859 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2014-HB859-Introduced.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2014 Regular Session
To: Tourism
By: Representative Martinson
House Bill 859
AN ACT TO CREATE A STUDY COMMITTEE ON ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY INVESTMENT, FOR THE PURPOSE OF STUDYING AND MAKING LEGISLATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE FEASIBILITY OF CREATING NEW STATE AND LOCAL INCENTIVES TO ATTRACT ECONOMIC INVESTMENT IN THE STATE BY ALL SECTORS OF THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY, INCLUDING FILM, TELEVISION, VIDEO, MUSIC, INTERACTIVE GAMES, AND RELATED TECHNOLOGIES AND SERVICES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. (1) There is created a Study Committee on Entertainment Industry Investment. The committee shall study the feasibility of creating new state and local incentives to attract economic investment in Mississippi by all sectors of the entertainment industry, including, but not limited to, film, television, video, music, interactive games, and related technologies and services. The committee, at a minimum, shall consider the following:
(a) Establishing a formal coalition of entertainment industry professionals with ties and loyalties to Mississippi, and recognizing and supporting these individuals as cultural ambassadors for expanding entertainment industry investment;
(b) Creating a database containing descriptions of land, real property and other tangible and intellectual resources that may be available for entertainment industry development;
(c) Appointing an advisory subcommittee of the committee, composed of public and private financial professionals, that can advise the committee on alternative methods of financing entertainment industry investment;
(d) Identifying current incentives for some sectors of the entertainment industry and opportunities for expansion of those and other incentives to all sectors of the industry; and
(e) Evaluating the feasibility of providing state tax credits for all sectors of the entertainment industry.
(2) The committee shall report on its study, in the form of proposed legislation entitled the Mississippi Entertainment Investment Act, to the 2015 Regular Session of the Legislature.
(3) The committee shall be composed of the following fifteen (15) members:
(a) The Chair of the Tourism Committee of the Mississippi House of Representatives and three (3) other members of the House appointed by the Speaker;
(b) The Chair of the Tourism Committee of the Mississippi State Senate and three (3) other members of the Senate appointed by the Lieutenant Governor;
(c) The Executive Director of the Mississippi Development Authority, or his designee;
(d) The Director of the Mississippi Tourism Division of the Mississippi Development Authority;
(e) The Director of the Mississippi Film Office;
(f) The Director of the Mississippi Tourism Association; and
(g) Three (3) individuals who are employed by three (3) different convention and visitors bureaus in the state, one (1) each from North Mississippi, Central Mississippi and South Mississippi, appointed by the Governor.
(4) Appointments shall be made within thirty (30) days after the sine die adjournment of the 2014 Regular Session, and within thirty (30) days thereafter on a day to be designated jointly by the Speaker of the House and the Lieutenant Governor, the committee shall meet and organize by selecting from its membership a chair and a vice chair. The vice chair shall also serve as secretary and shall be responsible for keeping all records of the committee. A majority of the members of the committee shall constitute a quorum. In the selection of its officers and the adoption of rules and reports, an affirmative vote of a majority of the committee shall be required. All members shall be notified in writing, by mail or email, at least fifteen (15) days before the date on which a meeting is to be held.
(5) Members of the committee shall receive the customary per diem compensation, expense reimbursement and mileage for attending committee meetings as provided in Sections 25-3-41 and 25-3-69.
(6) The committee is authorized to accept funds from any source, public or private, to be expended in implementing its duties under this section.
(7) To effectuate the purposes of this section, any department, division, board, bureau, commission or agency of the state or any political subdivision thereof, shall, at the request of the chair of the committee, provide such facilities, assistance and data as will enable the committee to properly carry out its duties.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.