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The introduction of Senate Bill 630 and Assembly Bill 1138 aims to provide California with a competitive advantage in its quest to retain and bring back production jobs that are vital to the entertainment industry. The bills were introduced by Senator Ben Allen, Assembly Members, Rick Chavez Zbur, and Isaac Bryan, with a focus on job creation and promise to diversify the types of productions that qualify for California’s Film and Television Tax Credit program. SB 630 and AB 1138 will be referred to respective policy committees over the coming weeks. Governor Gavin Newsom has also unveiled plans to more than double California’s current tax credit cap to provide much-needed relief for the entertainment industry following COVID-19 shutdowns, the strikes, LA wildfires and mass exodus of film and television production from California.Continue Reading Keep California Rolling: New Bills Poised to Revitalize Production (in Hollywood)

In a state where the sun always shines, California’s film tax credits seem to be the script for success. On July 10, 2023, Governor Newsom signed legislation to extend and expand California’s $330 million-a-year Film and TV Tax Credit Program 3.0 for an additional five years, meaning the original expiration date of June 30, 2025 has been extended through June 30, 2030.[1] Following this recent expansion, the program, now dubbed “Program 4.0,” has already enticed upcoming productions scouting other locations to reconsider. Colleen Bell, the Director of the California Film Commission, says that just during the first half of 2024, the state has already attracted 12 new and one relocating television series to California.[2] As evidence of that, we see Universal Content Productions LLC received one of the largest credits worth $12 million for the first season of “Suits: L.A.”, which helped ignite the shift from production in Canada to production in California.[3] This spinoff alone is expected to spend $50.7 million and create about 2,600 jobs in California.[4]Continue Reading Lights, Camera, Tax Breaks: California’s Updated Film Incentives

Effective July 1, 2024, new California Senate Bill 478 (SB 478)[1] bans the practice of “drip pricing,” where the price for product or service is advertised without including all mandatory fees and charges that consumers must pay.[2] This law applies to nearly all businesses that sell or lease goods and services to California consumers[3], excluding only commercial transactions and certain industries that are already subject to pricing regulations. The ramifications of SB 478 are likely to significantly impact advertising and pricing practices across various industries, including businesses outside of California.Continue Reading California’s New Price Transparency Law May Reshape Pricing Practices in Broad Range of Industries