BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1941
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Date of Hearing: May 4, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Lorena Gonzalez, Chair
AB
1941 (Lopez) - As Amended April 27, 2016
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|Policy |Arts, Entertainment, Sports, |Vote:|7 - 0 |
|Committee: |Tourism, and Internet Media | | |
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable: No
SUMMARY:
This bill seeks to advance the role of the California Film
Commission (CFC) in assisting independent filmmaking within the
state. Specifically, this bill:
1)Requires that one of the Governor's 13 existing appointments
to the CFC be an independent filmmaker, as defined.
AB 1941
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2)Requires the CFC to create a tab on its website labeled
"Independent Films," to contain information explaining the
state's film tax credits available to independent films,
provide information on the tax credit application process, and
highlight that the commission is required to allocated five
percent of the credits to independent films.
FISCAL EFFECT:
Any costs to the CFC would be minor and absorbable.
COMMENTS:
Purpose. According to the author, "AB 1941 will ensure that the
unique needs of independent filmmakers are served so California
can remain first in the United States in producing independent
films."
AB 1839 (Gatto and Bocanegra), Chapter 413, Statutes of 2014,
created, through 2019-20, a new and expanded tax credit for
qualified expenditures for the production of motion pictures.
The credit totals $230 million in the first year and $330
million annually thereafter. Five percent of the tax credit is
set aside to assist the production of independent films-defined
as a motion picture with a minimum budget of $1 million,
produced by a company that is not publicly traded and that
publicly-traded companies do now own more than 25% of the
producing company.
Analysis Prepared by:Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916)
319-2081
AB 1941
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