South Carolina House lawmakers are closer to passing legislation to offer job tax credits and other incentives to professional sports teams.
Legislators debated the Professional Sports Team Investment Act on the House floor Tuesday. Lawmakers voted 90-25 to give the legislation preliminary approval.
The bipartisan-backed proposal comes after talks between state officials and Carolina Panthers' owner David Tepper who has expressed interest in expanding the team's operations into the Palmetto State.
The proposal would allow the NFL team to be eligible for tax credits and exemptions, incentives they wouldn't have been eligible for under current laws. Football players don't practice enough hours to be considered full-time employees in the state.
The bill's author, House Majority Leader Gary Simrill, said the possible move is emblematic of what South Carolina is becoming.
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