Legislation that extends the state’s 180-million dollar film tax credit program for another three years through 2028 is moving closer to final passage. Slidell Senator Sharon Hewitt explained to the House Ways and Means Committee on why it’s important to pass the tax credit beyond 2025…
“This is an industry that really requires a little bit longer runway, it takes three or four years to make a movie and the decision to invest in a movie or green light a movie, those decisions are made several years in advance of that.”
Hewitt says the film industry supports about 10-thousand jobs in the state and lasted year invested more than 432-million dollars in productions in Louisiana. She expects those numbers to grow…
“TV episodes are exploding, the demand for those, and of course you have so many streaming services now, there’s a huge need for content and we want Louisiana to be part of the conversation.”
The House Ways and Means Committe approved Hewitt’s bill, which has already passed the Senate. It heads to the full House for final legislative passage. Eunice Representative Phillip Devillier is not a fan of spending 180-million dollars on the film tax industry.
“We can spend more money on roads, bridges, higher ed, K through 12, tops, health care, but yet we’re going to choose to continue to give 180 million dollars to the film industry, that concerns me”
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