Legislation
cleared the Senate Wednesday that would provide for long term security and
clarity in the state’s film incentive law. Senate
Bill 1103, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville
(R-Monroe), first passed the Senate Economic Development and was later approved
by the full Senate 32-4 with Senators Patrick Colbeck (R-Canton Township), John
Moolenaar (R-Midland), Joe Hune (R-Whitmore Lake), and Dave Robertson (R-Grand
Blanc) voting no, Senator Gretchen Whitmer (D-East Lansing) was absent when the
vote took place, and Senator Mike Nofs (R-Battle Creek) was absent from
session.
The
bill amends the Film and Digital Media Production Assistance Program operated
by the Film Office by eliminating the 2017 sunset on the funding as well as
adjusting the funding caps beginning in 2015.
Among
other revisions, the bill also allows for the program to provide funding to
eligible companies for direct production expenditures or to state-certified
qualified productions for qualified personnel expenditures, however, it also eliminates
the Michigan-specific requirements on personnel and crew expenditures.
Committee
testimony was dominated by advocates for the film and digital media industries
supporting the revisions.