Texas Senate bill by Sen. King adds indycar grand prix to major events funding program

Passed bill authored by State Sen. Phil King seeks to expand Texas’ major events reimbursement program by adding the INDYCAR Grand Prix of Arlington, aiming to support recognized sporting events and site selection organizations, according to the Texas Legislature website.

In the Senate, 11 Democrats and 14 Republicans voted in favor of the bill, while six Republicans opposed it.

Meanwhile, in the House, 58 Democrats and 27 Republicans voted in favor, while one Democrat and 57 Republicans voted against it.

Phil King introduced the bill in the Texas Senate on Thursday, March 6, during the 89th regular legislative session.

King graduated from Dallas Baptist University in 1981 with a BA and again in 1993 from Texas A&M University School of Law with a JD.

King, a Republican, was elected to the Texas State Senate in 2023 to represent the state’s 10th Senate district, replacing previous state senator Beverly Powell.

According to the Texas Legislature, the bill’s official text was summarized as follows: ‘Relating to the eligibility of the INDYCAR Grand Prix of Arlington for funding under the major events reimbursement program’.

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill amends the Government Code to include the INDYCAR Grand Prix of Arlington among the events eligible for funding under the major events reimbursement program in Texas. The bill specifies various recognized events and site selection organizations, adding the INDYCAR Grand Prix alongside existing events like the Formula One United States Grand Prix and the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. Additionally, it lists Penske Entertainment as a site selection organization. The act is set to take effect on Sept. 1, 2025.

The bill received its final legislative approval on Tuesday, May 13, and was signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday, May 27.

Bills in Texas go through a multi-step legislative process, including committee review, debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching a final decision. Each session, there are typically thousands of bills introduced, but only a portion successfully navigate the process to become law.

You can read more about the bills and other measures here.