The bill provides an additional 5% bonus for independent films and for projects filmed in disaster zones or rural areas.
Fifty-two sponsors in the House of Representatives and 10 sponsors in the Senate have supported the measure. House sponsors include 15 representatives from California, 6 from Pennsylvania, 4 from New York, and 3 each from New Jersey, Illinois, and Georgia.
The House version of the bill has been referred to the Ways and Means Committee, while the Senate version sits in the Finance Committee. Supporters hope to pass the bill during the lame duck session starting a week after the midterm election.
Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, said, "Every film and TV production made in America sends a ripple through the travel economy, filling hotel rooms, restaurants and small businesses during the shoot and inspiring travelers to visit long after the credits roll."
Ralph Posner, spokesman for the American Hotel & Lodging Association, said, "The economic benefits of this measure extend well beyond the film and television industry." Posner noted that domestic production brings cast, crew, and suppliers into communities across the United States, bolstering hotel demand and supporting local businesses.
The Motion Picture Association, the Independent Film and Television Alliance, and all of the Hollywood unions are backing the bill.
