Catching Up With Rick, California Film & TV Jobs Act Passes!

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

I’m thrilled to share that my bill, AB 1138 – The California Film & TV Jobs Act, has been signed by the Governor and is now in effect!

As the lead author for AB 1138, I am proud to see this critical bill modernize and strengthen California’s Film & Television Tax Credit Program, helping us keep production right here in the Golden State and protecting the good-paying jobs and small businesses, that fuel our local economy. AB 1138’s signing comes days after the signing of budget trailer bill SB 132, which includes Governor Newsom’s proposed expansion of the program from $330 million to $750 million in the state budget. The California Film and TV Jobs Act represents the second and final step in implementing that historic investment, ensuring that California gets the greatest possible return on the $750 million.

Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur (D-Hollywood) speaks at a press conference held by the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom to celebrate the signing of SB 132 on Wednesday, July 2, 2025.

Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur (D-Hollywood) joins Governor Newsom, fellow AB 1138 lead author Senator Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica), joint and principal authors, and industry leaders and workers to celebrate the signing of SB 132 on Wednesday, July 2, 2025.

With the passage of the California Film & TV Jobs Act, I’m honored to help lead a long-overdue comeback for California’s entertainment industry. For more than a century, Hollywood has been a symbol of dreams and opportunity, not just for our state, but also for the world. However, in recent years, that promise has been slipping away. Now we’re rewriting the script, bringing jobs back to our communities, supporting small businesses and giving one of our most iconic industries the tools it needs to thrive once again.

I also want to thank so many of my colleagues who helped to make this possible, including fellow lead author Senator Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica) and joint authors Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Los Angeles), Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva (D-Fullerton), Senator Caroline Menjivar (D-San Fernando Valley), Senator Sasha Renee Perez (D-Pasadena) and Senator Henry Stern (D-Los Angeles). I also want to thank the bipartisan coalition of legislators in both houses who came together to pass this important bill.

Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur (D-Hollywood) with Governor Gavin Newsom to celebrate the signing of SB 132 on Wednesday, July 2, 2025.

What Others Are Saying

Rebecca Rhine, Entertainment Union Coalition President, Directors Guild of America (DGA) Associate National Executive Director and Western Executive Director.

“We want to express our thanks and appreciation to Assemblymember Zbur for being an unwavering advocate in championing AB 1138 and reaffirming the value our members and our industry bring to California’s economy. With both the passage of AB 1138 and the expanded funding secured, the focus now shifts to getting people back to work. The Governor, the Legislature and the unions have done their part and now it is up to the studios and streamers to commit to do theirs. Let’s get California rolling again.”

Charles Rivkin, Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association.

"Congratulations to bill authors Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur and State Senator Ben Allen, Senate President Pro Tempore Mike McGuire, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas and champions throughout the legislature on this transformative achievement for California’s creative economy. By unifying these vital programmatic improvements with recently expanded funding, the state will retain high-quality jobs, attract future investment and further its legacy in film and television production. We also commend Gov. Newsom for his instrumental leadership during the legislative process and appreciate him signing this important legislation into law in the coming days.”

In the News

I recently wrote an op-ed on why AB 1138 is critical to the survival of California’s film and TV industry and how workers are facing a quadruple blow that threatens their livelihoods.

Read “Keeping the Cameras Rolling: How AB 1138 Aims to Save California’s Film & TV Jobs.”

Other ways to learn about AB 1138:
Fox 11 LA: Newsom signs massive tax credit for California film, TV

Hollywood Reporter: California Legislators Pass Bill Expanding State’s Film and TV Tax Incentive

The Wrap: California Lawmakers Pass Cap Raise for $750 Million Film Tax Incentive

Assemblymember Zbur addresses reporters during the introduction of AB 1138 & joint legislation SB 630 at a press conference on Wednesday, February 26, 2025. From Left: Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, Senator Ben Allen, SAG-AFTRA L.A. Local President Jodi Long, Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur, Secretary-Treasurer of SAG-AFTRA Joely Fisher, Renowned Actor Jason George, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Assemblymember Nick Schultz.

For those interested in the details, the key provisions of the bill:

• Raise the base tax credit rate from 20% to 35% and from 25% to 40% for productions relocating from other jurisdictions.
• Increase the overall qualified expenditures for films, TV shows and mini-series applying to the program.
• Maintain tax uplifts in the current programs including the 5% uplift for filming outside the Los Angeles Zone and an additional 5% for qualified wages paid to individuals living and working outside the zone.
• Provide up to 2% uplift to productions who hire 1 to 4 trainees without displacing anticipated hiring of experienced workers.
• Expand the definition of “Qualified Motion Picture” while retaining the $1 million minimum spending requirement per production to include 20-minute television shows, animation, reboots and certain large-scale competition shows.
• Allow more independent productions to qualify for the tax credit and increase the set aside for independent productions from 8% under the current program to 10%.
• Eliminate the 50% Ownership or 10-year-lease requirement for productions utilizing a certified sound stage in the Soundstage Film Tax Credit Program.
• Increase incentives for Independent Productions.
• Provide the California Film Commission with more flexibility to move tax credit dollars across different categories to meet current demands.
• Strengthen the existing program’s reporting requirements to ensure an employee has voluntarily given veteran status and the aggregated ZIP codes of employees on a production are reported to the Film Commission.

While not a panacea, these bills are a significant step toward stopping job loss and helping folks get back to work in the industry we love, in the state where we live.

Sincerely,

Rick Chavez Zbur
Democratic Caucus Chair of the California State Assembly
Representing Assembly District 51