Senate Appropriations Committee approves AB 1138 to expand motion-picture tax credits, sends bill to Senate floor 6-0

The Senate Committee on Appropriations voted 6-0 on a due-pass motion to send AB 1138 to the Senate floor. The bill, presented by Assemblymember Zuber and coauthored by Senator Allen, would increase and modernize California’s film and television tax credit program to make the state more competitive in attracting production and preserving industry jobs.

AB 1138’s authors said the bill is intended to “retain and bring back high quality jobs and supporting our small businesses that support the industry.” Senator Allen told the committee that “three quarters of the projects that were unable to secure a tax credit through our program end up moving production out of state,” and argued the change is needed to recover lost economic activity.

Why it matters: California’s film and television production industry supports thousands of jobs and a broad supply chain. Supporters told the committee the tax credit expansion is designed to reverse recent production losses to other jurisdictions and generate state and local economic…