News Releases are provided by the LRC Public Information Office. All photos are attributed to LRC Staff. House committee says ‘action’ to film office bill March 11, 2025 Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, explains the economic benefits of Senate Bill 1 to the House Economic Development and Workforce Investment Committee on Tuesday. The bill would create the Kentucky Film Office. A high-resolution photo can be found here. FRANKFORT — Horse racing, bourbon and film? With Senate Bill 1, filmmaking could become another one of Kentucky’s signature industries. The House Economic Development and Workforce Investment Committee advanced the legislation on Tuesday. SB 1 is sponsored by Sen. Phillip Wheeler, R-Pikeville, and Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester. Wheeler said Kentucky has had some of the most generous tax credits on the books for television and filmmakers for years, but they
re being underutilized. “Here in Kentucky, with our natural landscape, our friendly people and endless potential, I think that we can take Kentucky film production to the next level,” Wheeler said. SB 1 would create the Kentucky Film Office within the state Cabinet for Economic Development. Wheeler said Kentucky has the potential to produce a blockbuster hit, and the office would set up the proper infrastructure to support that type of filmmaking. “The film office will have certain duties. Most importantly, it will basically create a website and the infrastructure necessary to attract these types of feature films to the Commonwealth of Kentucky,” Wheeler said. “In addition, there will be a Kentucky Film Leadership Council made up of people in the industry, folks from the economic development cabinet, people that know how to bring the film industry and make it successful in this commonwealth.” In Georgia, filmmakers have access to a state-ran website where they can look at all the potential filming locations… Continue Reading