SB 324 Kentucky Senate · 2026 Regular Session

AN ACT relating to the entertainment industry.

Summary
Amend KRS 141.383 and 154.61-020 to allow that any unallocated portion of the $75 million credit cap be carried forward for utilization in subsequent calendar years for high-impact motion pictures or entertainment productions; amend KRS 154.12-280 to require the Kentucky Film Office to review applications, notify applicants of additional information needed, and forward applications to the Cabinet for Economic Development and the Kentucky Film Leadership Council; amend KRS 154.12-282 to update functions and purposes of the Kentucky Film Leadership Council; amend KRS 154.61-010 to define terms and revise definitions; provide that a motion picture or entertainment production eligible for credit includes a video game, music video, or commercial; amend KRS 154.61-020 to increase the minimum amount of qualifying expenditures and qualifying payroll expenditures that must be expended by an approved company to qualify for tax incentives; require, in addition to current reports, the submission of a certified audit by an approved company within 180 days of completion of production.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2026
Committee Review
Apr 2026
Senate Passage
Apr 2026
House Passage
Apr 2026
Signed into Law
Apr 2026
Introduced Mar 2, 2026 Signed Apr 23, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Current/Final · 4 edits
MODERATE
The bill was renamed from focusing on the 'film industry' to the broader 'entertainment industry,' expanding its scope. Funding limits were adjusted to increase the cap for 2022 and introduce a new category for 'high-impact' productions starting in 2026. The timeline for completing production was extended from 180 days to six months, and reporting deadlines were updated to reflect current fiscal years.
Scope change
The bill's scope was expanded from exclusively 'film' productions to include the broader 'entertainment industry,' and a new category for 'high-impact' productions was added.
SCOPE

The title and text were changed from 'film industry' to 'entertainment industry' to broaden the bill's applicability.

FISCAL

The funding cap for 2022 was increased from $75 million to $100 million, and a new allocation for 'high-impact' productions was added starting in 2026.

REQUIREMENT

The deadline to complete filming or production was extended from 180 days to six months.

TIMELINE

The initial reporting deadline was updated from 2010 to 2021, and the periodic reporting cycle was changed to occur every four years.

Floor votes · Senate Apr 15, 2026

How they voted

430
Passed · 1 other
Total votes 44
Apr 15, 2026
D Democratic6
6 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican38
37 Yea 1
97% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
30
Key actions
15
Committee
13
Apr 23, 2026
Signed into law
signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 194)
upper
Apr 15, 2026
Lower · Passed
enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House
lower
Apr 15, 2026
Upper · Passed
enrolled, signed by President of the Senate
upper
Apr 15, 2026
Upper · Passed
passed 37-0
upper
Apr 15, 2026
Upper · Passed
Senate concurred in Committee Substitute (1) and Committee Amendment (1-title)
upper
Apr 15, 2026
Committee
to Rules (S)
upper
Apr 15, 2026
Upper · Passed
3rd reading, passed 80-15 with Committee Substitute (1) and Committee Amendment (1-title)
upper
Apr 15, 2026
Upper · Passed
reported favorably, to Rules with Committee Substitute (1) and Committee Amendment (1-title)
upper
Apr 15, 2026
Committee
to Economic Development & Workforce Investment (H)
lower
Apr 15, 2026
Lower · Passed
taken from Committee on Committees (H)
lower
Apr 1, 2026
Lower · Passed
returned to Committee on Committees (H)
lower
Apr 1, 2026
Lower · Passed
taken from Committee on Committees (H)
lower
Mar 31, 2026
Lower · Passed
returned to Committee on Committees (H)
lower
Mar 31, 2026
Lower · Passed
taken from Committee on Committees (H)
lower
Mar 18, 2026
Committee
to Committee on Committees (H)
lower
Mar 17, 2026
Upper · Passed
3rd reading, passed 36-0 with Committee Substitute (1)
upper
Mar 16, 2026
Upper · Passed
passed over and retained in the Orders of the Day
upper
Mar 12, 2026
Upper · Passed
reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute (1)
upper
Mar 4, 2026
Committee
to Economic Development, Tourism, & Labor (S)
upper
Mar 2, 2026
Committee
to Committee on Committees (S)
upper
Mar 2, 2026
Introduced
introduced in Senate
upper
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.