NBC4's Conan Nolan speaks with Rep. Rick Chavez Zbur (D-Hollywood) and Sen. Bill Allen (D-Hollywood) about legislation they have introduced in Sacramento to save the film and television industry.
The announcement of Keep California Rolling comes one day after state lawmakers introduced a pair of bills that are meant to "amend, update, and modernize" the current Film & TV Tax Credit Program, sponsored by Senator Ben Allen and Assemblymembers Rick Chavez Zbur and Isaac Bryan. Details on how the program might be reshaped were not revealed yet, but Chavez Zbur vowed it would include "expanding the kinds of productions that qualify for the program, again, focusing on those productions which we are losing and that provide the best jobs."
Asm. Zbur participated in a press conference concerning at the SAG AFTRA Building in Los Angeles concerning the Hollywood Film Tax Credit.
The details of the bills are still being negotiated by stakeholders, state legislators said during a press conference Wednesday afternoon at the Los Angeles headquarters of the Screen Actors Guild — American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.
But the idea is to modernize the program's components to ensure California's film and TV tax credit program is more competitive with other states', Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur, one of the bills' co-sponsors, said during the press conference.
Bryan, Sen. Ben Allen and Assemblymen Rick Chavez Zbur introduced the companion bills last week to "modernize" the program and to "protect and bring back jobs that are leaving California for other states."
The bills were introduced in placeholder form. At the press conference, Zbur said the details are still being worked out among industry stakeholders.
Last week, Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur (D-Hollywood), State Senator Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica), and joint author Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Culver City) announced the introduction of AB 1138 and SB 630, legislation aimed at modernizing California's Film & Television Tax Credit Program.
The bills are aimed at expanding and enhancing the state’s $750 million film tax credit program, which Gov. Gavin Newsom initially proposed last year.
New bill will ensure that uniform curriculum advances multicultural respect and is free from harmful biases
AB 1138 and SB 630, introduced by Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur and Senator Ben Allen, with joint authorship from Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, will strengthen and modernize the Hollywood Film Tax Credit, keeping productions and jobs in California.
Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur introduced AB 891, a bill that will require Caltrans to develop a quick-build bike lane and intersection program that will swiftly and inexpensively improve highway safety for bicyclists and pedestrians.
