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Lights, Camera, Action! Motion Picture Tax Incentive Legislation Passes Senate
(Boston, MA) The Massachusetts Senate today passed aggressive and comprehensive legislation that promises to attract millions of dollars of revenue to the commonwealth from motion picture and commercial production and create thousands of new jobs for those who work in or support the film, video and multimedia industry. The bill now moves to the Governor's office where swift approval is expected. Once signed, the bill will take effective January 1, 2006 and its combination of employment, production and sales tax credits will position Massachusetts as one of the top 5 production venues in the country.
Senator Jim Timilty and Senator Cynthia Creem, the principal sponsors of the bill in the Senate, presented the bill in today's session - citing the direct and immediate impact the legislation will have in creating jobs and business opportunities for literally thousands of workers and businesses that serve the production industry. Senate President Robert Travaglini’s leadership was key in fashioning the compromise legislation that the Senate passed today.
The final compromise legislation closely resembles House 4252 - a bill chiefly sponsored by Representative Tom O'Brien with the full support and leadership of Speaker Sal DiMasi. Representative Thomas Bienienda recently reported out the House/Senate Conference Committee compromise bill with all of the key elements of the House Bill intact: sales tax, employment tax, and production tax credits. Representative Daniel Webster of Hanson recommended that incentives be extended to film school students - recognizing the bill's opportunity to assist future filmmakers in our state. The House passed the compromise legislation overwhelmingly (145 to 3) on Nov. 1st.
Representatives in the House and Senate recognized the efforts and determination within the production community in assuring that an effective bill was drafted. Representative O'Brien thanked The Massachusetts Production Coalition (MPC), an alliance of the area's leading production professionals, which has vigorously supported this legislation. Members of the MPC Legislative Committee, including Features Director Sam Weisman, John MacNeil of Moody Street Pictures, Dona Sommers of SAG and AFTRA and Chris O'Donnell, Business Manager of IATSE local 481, have been coordinating information and communications between legislators and the motion picture industry.
"Because we have worked together as a community, we can now make Massachusetts one of the top production venues in the country", remarked MPC President Joe Maiella. "Many people, including MPC committees, Alliance for Independent Motion Media, IMAGINE Magazine, and our representatives in the House and Senate have worked very hard on behalf of all members of our production community. We owe a great deal of thanks to all."
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