Kentucky Senate Bill 1 goes to Governor’s desk for signature

Kentucky Senate Bill 1, sponsored by Senators Phillip Wheeler, Robert Stivers, Danny Carroll, Shelley Frommeyer, Gerald Neal, Brandon Storm, Lindsey Tichenor and David Yates, was introduced into Senate on Feb. 18, and was delivered to the Governor on Thursday, March 13, for his signature.

Senate Bill (SB) 1 will establish the Kentucky Film Office. Louisa, Mayor Harold Slone, his wife Marsha, and his son Zeb, who recently produced and starred in a Netflix movie Ghosts of the Big Sandy, attended the discussion of SB 1 on Thursday, Feb. 27 .

According to Phillip Wheeler, “The film industry presents a real opportunity for job creation and economic growth in our state, and I’m pleased to see so many eager to get this effort off the ground. With SB 1 moving forward, I remain optimistic about its passage in the full Senate and ultimately seeing it across the finish line. I think this bill will have a positive economic impact including our rural areas like Eastern Kentucky. Kentucky’s charm and natural landscape make it attractive to alot of filmmakers. Many Eastern Kentuckians will remember the outstanding History Channel TV series Hatfields & McCoys about the famous (some might say infamous) feud starring Kevin Costner and the late Bill Paxton. What many may not know is that most of the series was filmed in Romania, not in Kentucky. (Nothing against the Romanians, but that’s Kentucky history!) Likewise, the highly rated TV series Justified was set in Harlan County and Lexington, but was filmed in Pennsylvania and California. Kentucky has some of the best film tax credits in the entire country. We just aren’t advertising our state like we should be. I believe that SB 1 and the new Kentucky Film Office with its Executive Director will be the mechanism to fully develop this industry in the Commonwealth.”

“With only weeks left in the session, the work is far from over. I remain committed to advocating for the needs of Eastern Kentucky and pushing forward legislation that strengthens our state,” he said. “As always, I appreciate your support and encourage you to reach out with any questions or concerns. Contact my office at (502)-564-8100 or email me at Phillip.Wheeler@kylegislature.gov.”

Sen. Phillip Wheeler, R-Pikeville, represents Kentucky’s 31st Senate District, including Elliott, Johnson, Lawrence, Martin and Pike Counties. Wheeler serves as chair of the Senate Economic Development, Tourism, and Labor Committee and vice chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee. He is also co-chair of the Capital Planning Advisory Board. Additionally, Wheeler is a member of the Senate Committees on Transportation, Natural Resources and Energy, and Licensing and Occupations.