SB1 establishes an official Kentucky Film Office within the Cabinet for Economic Development and creates a Kentucky Film Leadership Council to oversee it. The office, led by an executive director, will centralize administration of the state’s film-incentive program, market Kentucky as a filming destination, coordinate with regional film offices, support workforce training, and streamline the application process. It will be funded through a base allocation, incentive fees, and a portion of the state’s room tax.
The Kentucky State House of Representatives passed SB1 on March 14, 2025 by a vote of 77 to 8. We have assigned pluses to the nays because this bill expands government unnecessarily by creating an office that duplicates functions better handled by the free market. Government involvement in incentivizing the film industry distorts the economy, wastes taxpayer dollars, and invites the influence of Hollywood-style culture and values that often contradict traditional American principles. Rather than relying on private enterprise and market demand, this law empowers bureaucrats to pick winners and losers, undermining economic freedom and opening the door to immoral and anti-American cultural shifts.
