SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember Matt Dababneh (D-Encino) issued the following statement today after the California State Assembly passed AB 1839, a bill designed to increase the tax credits available for the film and television industries:
“Runaway production has become an instrumental problem, particularly in the San Fernando Valley. Fifteen years ago, California's share of the top 25 live-action films was 64 percent. Just last year, the share had dropped to just 8 percent. The Film Tax Credit is really about keeping one of our state's most significant and signature industries from leaving.
“AB 1839 provides a critical step forward for California’s entertainment industry, and the businesses that rely on it, to remain competitive. The economic impact of film and television production extends far beyond the movie sets and television studios; local businesses throughout the Valley rely on below-the-line workers to keep their doors open in California. I am glad to see the passage of AB 1839 in the Assembly, and will work with my counterparts in the Senate to ensure its passage, as well as with the governor to make sure it is signed into law.