Following California Governor Gavin Newsom’s signing into law the doubling of funding for the California Film and Television Jobs Program on Wednesday, today the California Assembly and Senate approved the programmatic changes to extend and expand the state’s Film and Television Tax Credit Program. This is the final step in a year-long fight for the expansion and modernization of the California Film & Television Jobs Program.
AB 1138 more than doubles the program’s annual funding—from $330 million to $750 million—and introduces key updates to keep production, below-the-line jobs, and investments rooted in California. Key program changes include:
- Increasing the Base Credit Rate to 35% for all participants, including independent productions.
- Expanding the types of projects that can apply to include half-hour series, animation and large-scale competition series.
- Raising the per-production cap to $120 million.
- Enhancing incentives for filming outside the Los Angeles area, with credits up to 45% for certain expenditures.
- Tripling funding for independent films from $26 million to $75 million and raising the per production cap.
- Broadening access to career pathways by allowing more non-profit organizations throughout the state to partner with the program, opening doors to a broader range of Californians.
“California is where filmed entertainment was born, and with this expansion, we’re making sure it stays here. We’re not just investing in productions and soundstages—we’re investing in middle-class careers, small businesses, and the communities that power this iconic industry,” said Newsom.
Among the voices cheering the bill’s passage was DGA Associate National Executive Director/Western Executive Director Rebecca Rhine, who sent a congratulatory letter to DGA members who were part of the Entertainment Union Coalition (EUC) which, represents 165,000 members working in California. The EUC was instrumental in helping to shepherd the bill through the legislative process via the “Keep California Rolling” campaign.
“From the very beginning, we said that securing additional funding was critical to keeping California competitive, but we also understood that to bring work back the programmatic changes were just as important,” said Rhine “Throughout this process, our focus was clear: whatever changes we did make this program had to remain centered around JOBS.”
Rhine who also serves as the President of the EUC continued, “Given the economic climate in our state, and all the difficult choices before elected leaders, we knew this would be tough. But your voices and stories were so powerful they allowed us to secure both funding and program modernization. We also want to take a moment to thank Governor Newsom, the bill’s champions Assemblymember Rick Zbur and Senator Ben Allen, and the countless advocates across the legislature– especially in our Los Angeles County delegation. Their support is a reminder that our industry is not just vital to our members and small businesses, but to California’s economy.”
“We will never stop reminding the studios that it is the skill and artistry of our members that built their companies,” concluded Rhine. “We will continue to hold them accountable for doing their part and push for a recommitment to our California workforce, ensuring productions stay in and come back home to California. There will always be more work to do. But as we’ve shown, when we stand together, there’s no challenge too big for us to overcome.”
