H.B. No. 4568 seeks to amend the Texas moving image industry incentive program by creating the Texas moving image industry incentive fund and establishing eligibility criteria for grants. The bill emphasizes that grants should not support inappropriate content or negatively portray Texas, while introducing a new definition for "incentive fund." It specifies that grants will be administered for production companies using this fund and outlines ineligible projects, such as pornography and political advertising. Additionally, the bill raises the minimum in-state spending requirement for films and television programs from $250,000 to $500,000 and introduces a tiered system for the percentage of Texas residents in the production crew, which will increase over time.

The bill also grants the office discretion to designate projects as Texas heritage projects based on their promotion of family values and positive portrayals of Texas. It establishes criteria for rural filming and postproduction grants, including spending requirements in smaller counties, and allows for multiple grants for qualifying projects. Furthermore, it amends tax code provisions to allocate $500 million to the incentive fund biennially. The qualifications for production companies include minimum spending thresholds and Texas residency requirements for crew and actors. The bill includes sunset provisions for certain sections, set to expire on August 31, 2035, and establishes that grants awarded during the interim will be governed by the amended laws, with an effective date of September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Government Code 485.021, Government Code 485.022, Government Code 485.023, Government Code 485.024, Government Code 485.025, Tax Code 151.801 (Tax Code 151, Government Code 485)