KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Legislation filed Thursday in the Missouri Senate would clear the way for the state to support local incentives to fund professional sports franchises in Missouri.

Senate Bill 2986, co-sponsored by Sen. Barbara Washington (D – Kansas City), Rep. Sherri Gallick (R – Belton) and Rep. Mark Sharp (D – Kansas City), would create the Missouri Entertainment Facility – Capital Assistance Program (MEF-CPA) Act.

The bill comes as state and local leaders completed talks this week in Jefferson City on the future stadium plans for the Kansas City Chiefs and Kansas City Royals.

On Wednesday, Kansas City-area leaders met with legislators on an update on the state and local efforts to keep the two teams in Missouri.

Watch KSHB 41’s Charlie Keegan’s report from Wednesday in the video player below:

Local and state leaders meet to discuss keeping Chiefs, Royals in Jackson County

On Thursday, Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe met with leaders from the Royals to better understand their positions.

Watch Charlie’s Thursday report in the video player below:

Timeline on debates over Chiefs and Royals stadium options

Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas celebrated the bill’s filing in a press release early Thursday night.

“The Kansas City Royals and the Kansas City Chiefs are Kansas City’s teams today and will remain Kansas City’s teams for generations to come,” Lucas said in the release.

Lucas applauded the work of the three legislators to introduce the bill that Lucas believes will give “Missouri cities the tools we need to keep our professional franchises, attract new tenants and maintain world-class venues.”

A copy of the legislation wasn’t immediately posted Thursday night on the state’s website.

In the release, Lucas said MEF-CAP contained “strong taxpayer protections” that would put caps on total public support and require “private financial commitments” from franchises applying for state funding.

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