The bill would have extended the rebate program through July 2024. It now may expire in July 2014. The incentive has been critical to bringing films and related industry revenue into Oklahoma, including Pearl, The Cherokee Word for Water, Bringing Up Bobby, Rudderless and August: Osage County. 

The Oklahoma Film Enhancement Rebate reimburses up to 37 percent of state-incurred, movie-related expenditures to companies filming here. 

Oklahoma Gazette contacted Jill Simpson with the Oklahoma Film and Music Office, a branch of the Oklahoma Department of Tourism that helps foster relationships between Oklahoma and the film industry.

Said Simpson: "If we eliminate the film incentive, films will simply no longer be made here. It [Not passing this bill] will cost the millions of dollars spent in Oklahoma by film makers and the jobs that result from it. The film rebate is a sound investment and vital economic stimulus for a growing industry.”

Because the bill lacked the required majority of 51 votes to kill it, it may

or Wednesday.