Behind the scenes in committee hearings

BY State Rep. Bruce Sassmann, Missouri’s 62nd District
Posted 3/9/22

As a State Representative, I have the privilege of sitting on four legislative committees, including the Special Committee on Tourism.

Committees are an important step in our legislative …

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Behind the scenes in committee hearings

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As a State Representative, I have the privilege of sitting on four legislative committees, including the Special Committee on Tourism.

Committees are an important step in our legislative process. Before a bill makes it to the floor of the House for a vote, the bill is assigned to a committee. In committee, a small group of lawmakers can debate, discuss, ask questions, and propose changes.

I’ve found that this process, in a small group setting, is often much more productive and substantive than when the entire 163-member body debates legislation on the floor of the House. In committee, each lawmaker has a better chance to be heard.

Last week, our Special Committee on Tourism voted in favor of an interesting piece of legislation.

HB 2099 was introduced by my friend and colleague, Representative Brian Seitz, from Branson. His legislation would create the Missouri Entertainment Industry Investment Act and the Missouri Entertainment Industry Post-Production Act. This legislation would allow Missouri to compete with surrounding states and attract film production jobs right here in our great state of Missouri.

In 2013, Missouri’s film industry incentives were allowed to expire. Since then, no significant movie, film, or television show has been filmed in our state. Netflix’s Ozark, set in the Lake of the Ozarks region, is filmed in Georgia.

In February, a Sylvester Stallone television show originally scheduled to be filmed in Kansas City was relocated to Oklahoma. Missouri entertainment should be made right here in Missouri. If we can incentivize film production in Missouri, we might find that our Missouri values are represented in our entertainment.

Seitz modeled HB 2099 after Georgia’s very successful film incentives program. This legislation will create jobs, bring in more tax revenue, and increase tourism in Missouri. I’m glad I had the opportunity to learn about this legislation in committee, and I’m happy our Special Committee on Tourism gave this bill its unanimous seal of approval.