Films produced in Florida could be eligible for further tax credits under a bill passed by a Senate committee Monday.
Republican Sen. Nancy Detert filed SB 7128, which offers up to $300 million in tax credits for films made in the state, and also moves the Office of Film and Entertainment, currently a part of the Department of Economic Opportunity, to the quasi-governmental corporation Enterprise Florida, renaming it the Division of Film and Entertainment.
The bill passed the Senate Committee on Commerce & Tourism Monday in a 7-1 vote.
“This good bill provides a long-term and consistent funding commitment to the entertainment industry, which in turn, will allow the state to continue to see an outstanding return on its investment, said Film Florida President Leah Sokolowsky.
Film Florida is a non-profit organization supporting Florida’s film and entertainment industries by representing private industry, regional film commissions, industry associations, educational institutions and labor organizations.
In a statement released Tuesday praising Detert’s efforts, Sokolowsky pointed to recent studies finding that for dollar the state invests in the entertainment industry, the Florida economy received $5.60 in return.
“It is paramount that we continue to build on the natural resources we have here in the Sunshine State and continue to diversify our economy in order to promote highly-skilled, high-wage jobs like those that the entertainment industry attracts,” Sokolowsky adds.
