More than 200 people from the local entertainment industry rallied Monday at the state Capitol, urging lawmakers to hear a measure they say would help contribute to the local economy.
Senate Bill 732, introduced by Sen. Lynn DeCoite, would raise the film tax incentives cap, although that amount is not included in the bill. The current cap is $50 million a year for all productions seeking to film in Hawai‘i.
With a key deadline approaching for bills to pass their final committees, film professionals are asking for the measure to be heard.
Raising the cap for tax incentives would help attract more film companies to do business in the state, according to Tuia‘ana Scanlan, president of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 665, a union representing behind-the-scenes employees in the entertainment industry.
He said there’s a misconception of the film industry, adding that it’s more than the red carpet and glam.
“This work is 100% blue-collar,” he said. “I have never spent so much time on a job. The hours are wild for those of us in the trenches. I don’t get to play in the mud or in the jungle anymore, but when I did, there were 16-hour days for six days a week and six months on end.”
While film professionals have long been pushing for raising the cap, it’s been criticized by some economists who question if it’s worth the cost to taxpayers.
If SB 732 becomes law, it would also create a fund to invest in movie productions.
For the measure to advance, the House Finance Committee needs to hear and pass the bill by this Friday.
