Hawaii 2024 Regular Session

Hawaii Senate Bill SB1237 Compare Versions

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11 THE SENATE S.B. NO. 1237 THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2023 S.D. 1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII FILM INDUSTRY. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
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4747 SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the Hawaii film industry is an important component of a diversified economy. The legislature also finds that motion picture, digital media, and film production have been effective in stimulating the economy and creating quality jobs in the State. Strategic focus and organization are paramount in developing and maintaining Hawaii as a premier filming location and the development of a local film workforce to provide both above the line and below the line expertise in pre-production, production, and post‑production. The purpose of this Act is to: (1) Establish the Hawaii film commission; (2) Establish a new film studio tax credit; (3) Amend the administration and extend the sunset date of the motion picture, digital media, and film production income tax credit to January 1, 2038; (4) Request and appropriate funds for the auditor to conduct a performance and financial audit of the Hawaii state film office; (5) Transfer the rights, powers, functions, and duties of the Hawaii state film office to the Hawaii film commission; and (6) Appropriate funds for one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) executive director position within the Hawaii film commission. SECTION 2. Chapter 201, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows: "§201- Hawaii film commission; established. (a) There is established within the department of business, economic development, and tourism for administrative purposes only a commission to be known as the Hawaii film commission. The commission shall consist of five members who shall be appointed by the governor in the manner prescribed in section 26-34, except as otherwise provided in this section; provided that: (1) One member shall reside in the county of Hawaii; (2) One member shall reside in the city and county of Honolulu; (3) One member shall reside in the county of Kauai; (4) One member shall reside in the county of Maui; and (5) The director of business, economic development, and tourism or the director's designated representative shall serve as an ex officio, voting member of the commission. (b) Each member identified in paragraphs (1) through (4) of subsection (a) shall have knowledge, interest, and proven expertise in one or more of the following fields: (1) Accounting; (2) Banking; (3) Corporate management; (4) Finance; (5) Film production; (6) Management; (7) Marketing and promotion; or (8) Real estate. (c) Members shall be subject to the gift reporting requirements of section 84-11.5. (d) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the commission shall be subject to chapter 92. (e) The commission shall appoint an executive director and other additional personnel as necessary to enable the commission to perform the duties of the commission. Employees of the commission shall be exempt from chapter 76. (f) The commission shall establish the compensation of the executive director and other commission personnel. (g) The executive director shall: (1) Report to the commission; and (2) Be subject to the oversight of the commission." SECTION 3. Chapter 235, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows: "§235- Film studio tax credit. (a) There shall be allowed to each taxpayer subject to the taxes imposed by this chapter, an income tax credit that shall be deductible from the taxpayer's net income tax liability, if any, imposed by this chapter for the taxable year in which the credit is properly claimed. In the case of a partnership, S corporation, estate, trust, the tax credit allowable is for film studio costs incurred by the entity for the taxable year. The cost upon which the tax credit is computed shall be determined at the entity level. Distribution and share of credit shall be determined by rule. If a deduction is taken under section 179 (with respect to election to expense depreciable business assets) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, no tax credit shall be allowed for that portion of the film studio costs for which the deduction is taken. The basis of eligible property for depreciation or accelerated cost recovery system purposes for state income taxes shall be reduced by the amount of credit allowable and claimed. In the alternative, the taxpayer shall treat the amount of the credit allowable and claimed as a taxable income item for the taxable year in which it is properly recognized under the method of accounting used to compute taxable income. (b) The amount of the credit shall be per cent of film studio costs incurred during the taxable year for each film studio located in Hawaii. (c) The credit allowed under this section shall be claimed against the net income tax liability for the taxable year. (d) The director of taxation: (1) Shall prepare any forms that may be necessary to claim a tax credit under this section; (2) May require the taxpayer to furnish reasonable information to ascertain the validity of the claim for the tax credit made under this section; and (3) May adopt rules under chapter 91 necessary to effectuate the purposes of this section. (e) If the tax credit under this section exceeds the taxpayer's income tax liability, the excess of the credit over liability may be used as a credit against the taxpayer's income tax liability in subsequent years until exhausted. All claims for the tax credit under this section, including amended claims, shall be filed on or before the end of the twelfth month following the close of the taxable year for which the credit may be claimed. Failure to comply with the foregoing provision shall constitute a waiver of the right to claim the credit. (f) No taxpayer that claims a credit under this section shall claim any other credit for the same film studio costs under this chapter. (g) This section shall not apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, . (h) As used in this section: "Film studio costs" means costs incurred after , to plan, design, and construct film studio infrastructure. "Film studio infrastructure" means: (1) A large area of external works with significant areas of hard standing adjacent to the studios for production companies' support gallery vans, trailers, general parking and back lots; (2) Permanent space for: (A) Actors, presenters, and other on‑screen personnel, including dressing rooms, hair and make-up areas, green rooms; (B) Catering and laundry facilities; and (C) Production spaces, including editing suites, galleries, screening room and control rooms; (3) Spaces for: (A) Set design and set building; (B) Costume planning and script writing; (C) Set building workshops located next to the studio or stage that they are supporting; and (D) Office accommodation for pre‑production activities, regardless of whether they are in a single location and adjacent to individual studios or stages, or spread across the development; (4) Sound insulation required between studios and other spaces inside and outside the building, or acoustic isolation to avoid bleed into the space from nearby traffic or industrial activity; (5) Electrical power infrastructure: (A) To support demand of up to one megawatt in a standard thirty-thousand foot production stage; (B) That is provided in a dimmer room that is duplicated within the stages; (C) Through which power connectivity is typically delivered via a combination of various-sized commando sockets and Powerlock 400A connectors; (D) That, to the extent necessary to respond to high electrical loads, employs backup generators and a high-voltage power network; and (E) That employs a utility-owned high-voltage substation as the point of connection to the studio site; (6) Potable water and fire system infrastructures that employ: (A) A single point of connection, which is then distributed across the development, unless this configuration is inappropriate for the purposes of the studio; (B) A fire hydrant network to comply with applicable laws, and fed either by: (i) A direct connection to the private network from the utility provider, dependent on guaranteed flow rate and pressure; or (ii) An indirect connection to the private network via storage tanks and a booster set; and (C) A sprinkler system, to the extent appropriate for the purposes of a studio; (7) Heating infrastructure for a studio; (8) Ventilation or cooling infrastructure for a production stage, through the use of displacement ventilation through low-level displacement outlets; (9) Information and communications technology and data infrastructure that: (A) Ensures the provision of a site-wide information and communications technology network, with appropriate storage capabilities; (B) Provides pre-production and post-production facilities with connectivity, as appropriate; and (C) Provides wi-fi connectivity across the site; and (10) Security infrastructure that provides perimeter protection that includes: (A) Secure perimeter fencing, to provide a physical and visual barrier; (B) Perimeter closed circuit television to monitor activities around the site boundary; (C) External lighting to provide secure and safe routes around the development and improved visibility for closed circuit television monitoring; and (D) Secure and managed entrances and exits for the site, to monitor all access. "Net income tax liability" means income tax liability reduced by all other credits allowed under this chapter." SECTION 4. Section 23-92, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (c) to read as follows: "(c) This section shall apply to the following: (1) Sections 235-12.5 and 241-4.6--Credit for renewable energy technology system installed and placed in service in the State. For the purpose of section 23‑91(b)(5), this credit shall be deemed to have been enacted for an economic benefit; and (2) Section 235-17--Credit for [qualified] qualifying production [costs] expenditures incurred for a qualified motion picture, digital media, or film production." SECTION 5. Section 121-19, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows: "§121-19 Regulations governing armories, etc. Any law to the contrary notwithstanding, the adjutant general may make regulations to establish procedures governing the care and custody of department of defense facilities that are either set aside to the department of defense or on license from the federal government. The adjutant general may permit the use of or may temporarily rent to national guard units or other county, state, or federal government agency sponsoring or co-sponsoring meetings, classes, or other activities; hosting athletic events or competitions; billeting personnel in conjunction with sanctioned events such as agency-sponsored conferences or classes, agency-sponsored athletic or recreation programs, government-sponsored public hearings or meetings, unit-sponsored youth organizations and activities, or public school sponsored classes, dances, plays, and concerts; nonprofit or eleemosynary organizations conducting a community or group activity; and film production enterprise activities promoted and coordinated through the [Hawaii film industry branch, department of business, economic development, and tourism, such] Hawaii film commission, portions as will not interfere with the military use thereof. The adjutant general shall establish the rentals to be charged for their use and all net proceeds received from the rentals shall be deposited into the general fund of the State. Chapter 91 shall not apply." SECTION 6. Section 235-17, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended as follows: 1. By amending subsection (a) to read: "(a) [Any law to the contrary notwithstanding, there] There shall be allowed to each taxpayer subject to the taxes imposed by this chapter, an income tax credit that shall be deductible from the taxpayer's net income tax liability, if any, imposed by this chapter for the taxable year in which the credit is properly claimed. The amount of the credit shall be: [(1) Twenty-two per cent of the qualified production costs incurred by a qualified production in any county of the State with a population of over seven hundred thousand; or (2) Twenty-seven per cent of the qualified production costs incurred by a qualified production in any county of the State with a population of seven hundred thousand or less. A qualified production occurring in more than one county may prorate its expenditures based upon the amounts spent in each county, if the population bases differ enough to change the percentage of tax credit.] (1) With respect to productions not within a designated enhanced film production zone: (A) Twenty per cent of the approved company's: (i) Qualifying non-resident payroll expenditures for employees who are not resident taxpayers, not to exceed $1,000,000 in payroll expenditures per person; and (ii) Qualifying production expenditures; or (B) Twenty-five per cent of the approved company's qualifying resident payroll expenditures, not to exceed $1,000,000 in payroll expenditures per person; or (2) With respect to productions within a designated enhanced film production zone: (A) Twenty per cent of the approved company's: (i) Qualifying non-resident payroll expenditures for employees who are not resident taxpayers, not to exceed $1,000,000 in payroll expenditures per person; and (ii) Qualifying production expenditures; or (B) Thirty per cent of the approved company's qualifying resident payroll expenditures for employees who are Hawaii resident taxpayers, not to exceed $1,000,000 in payroll expenditures per person. In the case of a partnership, S corporation, estate, or trust, the tax credit allowable is for [qualified] qualifying production [costs] expenditures incurred by the entity for the taxable year. The [cost] expenditures upon which the tax credit is computed shall be determined at the entity level. Distribution and share of credit shall be determined by rule. If a deduction is taken under section 179 (with respect to election to expense depreciable business assets) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, no tax credit shall be allowed for those costs for which the deduction is taken. The basis for eligible property for depreciation of accelerated cost recovery system purposes for state income taxes shall be reduced by the amount of credit allowable and claimed. Tax incentive agreements for approved companies under the tax credit program shall include a listing of the enhanced film production zones as of the date of the Hawaii state film office's approval of the project. Once an approved company enters into a tax incentive agreement, the listed enhanced film production zones shall maintain the enhanced benefits for the term of the agreement, regardless of any change in the status of the enhanced film production zones. The approved company shall separately account for the requisite expenditures within enhanced film production zones. If the approved company demonstrates to the satisfaction of the department of taxation that it is not practical to use a separate accounting method to determine the expenditures within the enhanced film production zones, the approved company shall determine the correct expenditures within the enhanced film production zones using an alternative method approved by the department of taxation. All previously approved tax credits shall remain valid until the stated expiration date." 2. By amending subsection (d) to read: "(d) To qualify for this tax credit, a production shall: (1) Meet the definition of a qualified production specified in subsection (o); (2) Have [qualified] qualifying production [costs] expenditures totaling at least $100,000; (3) Provide the State a qualified Hawaii promotion, which shall be at a minimum, a shared-card, end-title screen credit, where applicable; (4) Provide evidence of reasonable efforts to hire local talent and crew; (5) Provide evidence when making any claim for products or services acquired or rendered outside of this State that reasonable efforts were unsuccessful to secure and use comparable products or services within this State; (6) Provide evidence of financial or in-kind contributions or educational or workforce development efforts, in partnership with related local industry labor organizations, educational institutions, or both, toward the furtherance of the local film and television and digital media industries; (7) Provide proof of contact for every supporting union - signatory or non-signatory (including IATSE, SAG, Teamsters, IBEW, DGA AFM, and others), and a list of all members and their position titles that will be employed on the production; provided that, for all other production staff, the production shall provide a list of names, position titles and state resident status; (8) Provide proof of contact for every supporting union - signatory or non-signatory (including IATSE, SAG, Teamsters, IBEW, DGA AFM, and others), and a list of all members and their position titles that will be employed on the production, to qualify for an open and accessible epermit or standard film permit; provided that, for all other production staff, the production shall provide a list of names, position titles and state resident status; [(7)] (9) Be compliant with all applicable requirements under title 14, including tax return filing and payments; and [(8)] (10) Provide complete responses to the department of taxation's inquiries and document requests, in the form prescribed by the department, no later than ninety days from the inquiry or request. 3. By amending subsection (f) to read: "(f) To receive the tax credit, the taxpayer shall first prequalify the production for the credit by registering with the department of business, economic development, and tourism during the development or preproduction stage. Each prequalified production shall provide the department of business, economic development, and tourism a shooting schedule not later than seven days before the commencement of filming. If there are changes to the production schedule, an updated schedule shall be submitted to the department of business, economic development, and tourism. The department of business, economic development, and tourism shall conduct unannounced on-site audits based on the information the production submitted in the preproduction registration. If discrepancies are found between the preproduction submission and the actual onsite production, the production shall have seven working days to comply with the certified preproduction documentation. A follow-up onsite audit shall be conducted within one week of the seven-working day deadline. If the production remains noncompliant, the tax credit under this section shall be forfeited." 4. By amending subsections (h) to (j) to read: "(h) Every taxpayer claiming a tax credit under this section for a qualified production shall, no later than ninety days following the end of each taxable year in which [qualified] qualifying production [costs] expenditures were expended, submit a written, sworn statement, verified by an independent third‑party auditor, to the department of business, economic development, and tourism that identifies: (1) All [qualified] qualifying production [costs] expenditures as provided by subsection (a), if any, incurred in the previous taxable year; (2) The amount of tax credits claimed pursuant to this section, if any, in the previous taxable year; and (3) The number of total hires versus the number of local hires by category and by county. This information may be reported from the department of business, economic development, and tourism to the legislature pursuant to subsection (i)(4). (i) The department of business, economic development, and tourism shall: (1) Maintain records of the names of the taxpayers and qualified productions thereof claiming the tax credits under subsection (a); (2) Obtain and total the aggregate amounts of all [qualified] qualifying production [costs] expenditures per qualified production and per qualified production per taxable year; (3) Provide a letter to the director of taxation specifying the amount of the tax credit per qualified production for each taxable year that a tax credit is claimed and the cumulative amount of the tax credit for all years claimed; [and] (4) Submit a report to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of each regular session detailing the non-aggregated [qualified] qualifying production [costs] expenditures that form the basis of the tax credit claims and expenditures, itemized by taxpayer, in a redacted format to preserve the confidentiality and that shall include the dollar amount claimed, name of company, and name of the qualified production of the taxpayers claiming the credit[.]; (5) Publish on its website: (A) A detailed list of film production goods and services vendor requirements; and (B) The names of qualified productions and the amount of the tax credits certified per qualified production per filing year; and (6) Provide the legislature with an annual rolling six-year forecast that details future productions, proposed schedule, and corresponding infrastructure, workforce, goods, and service needs. (j) Upon each determination required under subsection (i), the department of business, economic development, and tourism shall issue a letter to the taxpayer, regarding the qualified production, specifying the [qualified] qualifying production [costs] expenditures and the tax credit amount qualified for in each taxable year a tax credit is claimed; provided that the department of business, economic development, and tourism shall issue the letter to the taxpayer no later than seven months after receipt of the taxpayer's statement under subsection (h). The taxpayer for each qualified production shall file the letter with the taxpayer's tax return for the qualified production to the department of taxation. Notwithstanding the authority of the department of business, economic development, and tourism under this section, the director of taxation may audit and adjust the tax credit amount to conform to the information filed by the taxpayer." 5. By amending subsections (n) and (o) to read: "(n) The total amount of tax credits allowed under this section in any particular year shall be [$50,000,000;] $ ; however, if the total amount of credits applied for in any particular year exceeds the aggregate amount of credits allowed for that year under this section, the excess shall be treated as having been applied for in the subsequent year and shall be claimed in the subsequent year; provided that no excess shall be allowed to be claimed after December 31, [2032.] 2038. (o) For the purposes of this section: "Above-the-line production crew" means employees involved with the production of a motion picture or entertainment production whose salaries are negotiated before the commencement of production, including actors, directors, producers, and writers. "Approved company" means an eligible production company approved for incentives under this section. "Below-the-line production crew" means employees involved with the production of a motion picture or entertainment production, except above-the-line production crew. "Below‑the‑line production crew" includes: (1) Casting assistants; (2) Costume design; (3) Extras; (4) Gaffers; (5) Grips; (6) Location managers; (7) Production assistants; (8) Set construction staff; (9) Set design staff; and (10) Transportation staff. "Commercial": (1) Means an advertising message that is filmed using film, videotape, or digital media, for dissemination via television broadcast or theatrical distribution; (2) Includes a series of advertising messages if all parts are produced at the same time over the course of six consecutive weeks; and (3) Does not include an advertising message with Internet‑only distribution. "Digital media" means production methods and platforms directly related to the creation of cinematic imagery and content, specifically using digital means, including but not limited to digital cameras, digital sound equipment, and computers, to be delivered via film, videotape, interactive game platform, or other digital distribution media. "Enhanced film production zone" means an area: (1) That is a designated film production zone that follows a same geographic area as a state enterprise zone under chapter 209E; and (2) In which qualifying production expenditures and qualifying payroll expenditures are made. "Excluded expenditures" means: (1) Post-production expenditures for footage shot outside of the State, marketing, publicity, story tights, or distribution; (2) Any expenditures for work or services not conducted or rendered in the State; (3) In any instance in which services are conducted or rendered both in the State and outside the State, the work that is conducted or rendered outside of the State; (4) Expenditures for services not performed at the filming site, unless the vendor is based in the State; (5) Expenditures for goods that were not purchased or rented or leased in the State from a vendor based in Hawaii, including goods shipped or delivered from the Hawaii vendor's location outside of the State, unless more than a de minimis amount of the type of goods held and shipped or delivered from outside the State are normally held in inventory in the ordinary course of business in the State by the Hawaii vendor; provided that, for the purposes of this paragraph, a vendor that acts as a conduit to enable purchases or rentals to qualify that would not otherwise qualify shall not be considered to be vendor based in the State; (6) Expenditures for goods not used in the State; (7) Freight or shipping charges incurred relating to a vendor not based in the State; or (8) Any transaction subject to taxation under chapter 238, for which taxes have not been demonstrably paid; provided that, for the purposes of this paragraph, use taxes paid by the production company itself shall be considered to have been demonstrably paid. "Hawaii-based company" means a business: (1) That has its principal place of business in the State; or (2) With not less than fifty per cent of: (A) Its property located in the State; and (B) Its payroll paid in the State. "Payroll" means salary, wages, or other compensation including related benefits, paid to employees and withheld and paid pursuant to section 235-62. "Post-production" means production activities and services conducted after principal photography is completed, including but not limited to editing, film and video transfers, duplication, transcoding, dubbing, subtitling, credits, closed captioning, audio production, special effects (visual and sound), graphics, and animation. "Production" means a series of activities that are directly related to the creation of visual and cinematic imagery to be delivered via film, videotape, or digital media and to be sold, distributed, or displayed as entertainment or the advertisement of products for mass public consumption, including but not limited to scripting, casting, set design and construction, transportation, videography, photography, sound recording, interactive game design, and post-production. "Production partner" means a director, producer, production supervisor or manager, director of photography, production designer, casting director, production company, production services company, or post-production services company. "Qualified production": (1) Means [a production,] an approved company, with expenditures in the State, for the total or partial production of a feature-length motion picture, short film, made-for-television movie, commercial, music video, interactive game, television series pilot, single season (up to twenty-two episodes) of a television series regularly filmed in the State (if the number of episodes per single season exceeds twenty-two, additional episodes for the same season shall constitute a separate qualified production), television special, single television episode that is not part of a television series regularly filmed or based in the State, national magazine show, or national talk show. For the purposes of subsections (d) and (l), each of the aforementioned qualified production categories shall constitute separate, individual qualified productions; and (2) Does not include: (A) News; (B) Public affairs programs; (C) Non-national magazine or talk shows; (D) Televised sporting events or activities; (E) Productions that solicit funds; (F) Productions produced primarily for industrial, corporate, institutional, or other private purposes; and (G) Productions that include any material or performance prohibited by chapter 712. "Qualifying nonresident payroll expenditure" means payroll paid to nonresident cast and crew: (1) Whose wages are subject to Hawaii income tax withholding for that portion of their salary that is earned in the State; and (2) For their work on a project: (A) That: (i) Is produced by a Hawaii-based company; (ii) Is produced by a Hawaii subsidiary company of the applicant production company; (iii) Is produced by a production company in which an owner, member, or principal is a Hawaii resident taxpayer; or (iv) Engages a Hawaii resident taxpayer or company to serve as a production partner to the applicant production company; and (B) For which the applicant company, or the individual or company serving as its production partner, has been associated with the production in Hawaii of at least two nationally-distributed motion pictures within the previous ten years and has filed Hawaii state income taxes for the three most recent taxable years, as verified by the department of taxation. "Qualifying payroll expenditure" means compensation that is: (1) Paid to above-the-line production crew and below‑the‑line production crew for services performed in the State for work on a motion picture or entertainment production; and (2) Verified for proper remittance of withholding by the approved company or payroll service. ["Qualified] "Qualifying production [costs"] expenditures" means the costs incurred by a qualified production within the State that are subject to the general excise tax under chapter 237 at the highest rate of tax or income tax under this chapter if the costs are not subject to general excise tax and that have not been financed by any investments for which a credit was or will be claimed pursuant to section 235-110.9. [Qualified] Qualifying production [costs] expenditures include [but are not limited to]: (1) Costs incurred during preproduction such as location scouting and related services; (2) Costs of set construction and operations, purchases or rentals of wardrobe, props, accessories, food, office supplies, transportation, equipment, and related services; (3) Wages or salaries of cast, crew, and musicians; (4) Costs of photography, sound synchronization, lighting, and related services; (5) Costs of editing, visual effects, music, other post‑production, and related services; (6) Rentals and fees for use of local facilities and locations, including rentals and fees for use of state and county facilities and locations that are not subject to general excise tax under chapter 237 or income tax under this chapter; (7) Rentals of vehicles and lodging for cast and crew; (8) Airfare for flights to or from Hawaii, and interisland flights; (9) Insurance and bonding; (10) Shipping of equipment and supplies to or from Hawaii, and interisland shipments; and (11) Other direct production costs specified by the department in consultation with the department of business, economic development, and tourism; provided that any government-imposed fines, penalties, or interest that are incurred by a qualified production within the State shall not be ["qualified] "qualifying production [costs". "Qualified] expenditures. "Qualifying production [costs"] expenditures" does not include any costs funded by any grant, forgivable loan, or other amounts not included in gross income for purposes of this chapter. "Qualifying production expenditures" does not include excluded expenditures. "Qualifying resident payroll expenditure" means payroll paid to resident cast and crew: (1) Domiciled in the State and physically present in the State for not fewer than nine months of the qualified production's taxable year; and (2) Whose wages are subject to section 235-61." SECTION 7. Act 88, Session Laws of Hawaii 2006, as amended by Act 89, Session Laws of Hawaii 2013, as amended by Act 143, Session Laws of Hawaii 2017, as amended by Act 217, Session laws of Hawaii 2022, is amended by amending section 4 to read as follows: "SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2006; provided that: (1) Section 2 of this Act shall apply to qualified production costs incurred on or after July 1, 2006, and before January 1, [2033;] 2038; and (2) This Act shall be repealed on January 1, [2033,] 2038, and section 235-17, Hawaii Revised Statutes, shall be reenacted in the form in which it read on the day before the effective date of this Act." SECTION 8. (a) The auditor is requested to conduct a performance and financial audit of the Hawaii state film office of the creative industries branch of the department of business, economic development, and tourism. The auditor is requested to include in the audit the policies, procedures, and processes of the Hawaii state film office as it pertains to the proper facilitation oversight, auditing and approvals given to productions qualifying them for the motion picture, digital media, and film production income tax credit and incentives: (1) From fiscal years 2018-2019 to 2022-2023; and (2) In future fiscal years. (b) The auditor is requested to submit the performance and financial audit, including any findings, recommendations, and proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2024. SECTION 9. All rights, powers, functions, and duties of the Hawaii state film office are transferred to the Hawaii film commission. The person who served as the Hawaii state film commissioner immediately before the effective date of this Act shall serve as the initial executive director of the Hawaii film commission, until that person resigns or until the commission appoints an executive director, whichever occurs first. SECTION 10. All rules, policies, procedures, guidelines, and other material adopted or developed by the Hawaii state film office to implement provisions of the Hawaii Revised Statutes that are reenacted or made applicable to the Hawaii film commission by this Act shall remain in full force and effect until amended or repealed by the Hawaii film commission pursuant to chapter 91, Hawaii Revised Statutes. In the interim, every reference to the Hawaii state film office or the Hawaii state film commissioner in those rules, policies, procedures, guidelines, and other material is amended to refer to the Hawaii film commission or executive director of the Hawaii film commission, as appropriate. SECTION 11. All deeds, leases, contracts, loans, agreements, permits, or other documents executed or entered into by or on behalf of the Hawaii state film office which are reenacted or made applicable to the Hawaii film commission by this Act, shall remain in full force and effect. Upon the effective date of this Act, every reference to the Hawaii state film office or the Hawaii state film commissioner therein shall be construed as a reference to the Hawaii film commission or executive director of the Hawaii film commission, as appropriate. SECTION 12. All appropriations, records, equipment, machines, files, supplies, contracts, books, papers, documents, maps, and other personal property heretofore made, used, acquired, or held by the Hawaii state film office relating to the functions transferred to the Hawaii film commission shall be transferred with the functions to which they relate. SECTION 13. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2023-2024 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2024-2025 to fund one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) executive director position within the Hawaii film commission. The sums appropriated shall be expended by the Hawaii film commission for the purposes of this Act. SECTION 14. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2023-2024 for a performance and financial audit of the Hawaii film office The sum appropriated shall be expended by the office of the auditor for the purposes of this Act. SECTION 15. This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun before its effective date. SECTION 16. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored. SECTION 17. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2050.
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4949 SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the Hawaii film industry is an important component of a diversified economy. The legislature also finds that motion picture, digital media, and film production have been effective in stimulating the economy and creating quality jobs in the State. Strategic focus and organization are paramount in developing and maintaining Hawaii as a premier filming location and the development of a local film workforce to provide both above the line and below the line expertise in pre-production, production, and post‑production.
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5151 The purpose of this Act is to:
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5353 (1) Establish the Hawaii film commission;
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5555 (2) Establish a new film studio tax credit;
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5757 (3) Amend the administration and extend the sunset date of the motion picture, digital media, and film production income tax credit to January 1, 2038;
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5959 (4) Request and appropriate funds for the auditor to conduct a performance and financial audit of the Hawaii state film office;
6060
6161 (5) Transfer the rights, powers, functions, and duties of the Hawaii state film office to the Hawaii film commission; and
6262
6363 (6) Appropriate funds for one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) executive director position within the Hawaii film commission.
6464
6565 SECTION 2. Chapter 201, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
6666
6767 "§201- Hawaii film commission; established. (a) There is established within the department of business, economic development, and tourism for administrative purposes only a commission to be known as the Hawaii film commission. The commission shall consist of five members who shall be appointed by the governor in the manner prescribed in section 26-34, except as otherwise provided in this section; provided that:
6868
6969 (1) One member shall reside in the county of Hawaii;
7070
7171 (2) One member shall reside in the city and county of Honolulu;
7272
7373 (3) One member shall reside in the county of Kauai;
7474
7575 (4) One member shall reside in the county of Maui; and
7676
7777 (5) The director of business, economic development, and tourism or the director's designated representative shall serve as an ex officio, voting member of the commission.
7878
7979 (b) Each member identified in paragraphs (1) through (4) of subsection (a) shall have knowledge, interest, and proven expertise in one or more of the following fields:
8080
8181 (1) Accounting;
8282
8383 (2) Banking;
8484
8585 (3) Corporate management;
8686
8787 (4) Finance;
8888
8989 (5) Film production;
9090
9191 (6) Management;
9292
9393 (7) Marketing and promotion; or
9494
9595 (8) Real estate.
9696
9797 (c) Members shall be subject to the gift reporting requirements of section 84-11.5.
9898
9999 (d) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the commission shall be subject to chapter 92.
100100
101101 (e) The commission shall appoint an executive director and other additional personnel as necessary to enable the commission to perform the duties of the commission. Employees of the commission shall be exempt from chapter 76.
102102
103103 (f) The commission shall establish the compensation of the executive director and other commission personnel.
104104
105105 (g) The executive director shall:
106106
107107 (1) Report to the commission; and
108108
109109 (2) Be subject to the oversight of the commission."
110110
111111 SECTION 3. Chapter 235, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
112112
113113 "§235- Film studio tax credit. (a) There shall be allowed to each taxpayer subject to the taxes imposed by this chapter, an income tax credit that shall be deductible from the taxpayer's net income tax liability, if any, imposed by this chapter for the taxable year in which the credit is properly claimed.
114114
115115 In the case of a partnership, S corporation, estate, trust, the tax credit allowable is for film studio costs incurred by the entity for the taxable year. The cost upon which the tax credit is computed shall be determined at the entity level. Distribution and share of credit shall be determined by rule.
116116
117117 If a deduction is taken under section 179 (with respect to election to expense depreciable business assets) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, no tax credit shall be allowed for that portion of the film studio costs for which the deduction is taken.
118118
119119 The basis of eligible property for depreciation or accelerated cost recovery system purposes for state income taxes shall be reduced by the amount of credit allowable and claimed. In the alternative, the taxpayer shall treat the amount of the credit allowable and claimed as a taxable income item for the taxable year in which it is properly recognized under the method of accounting used to compute taxable income.
120120
121121 (b) The amount of the credit shall be per cent of film studio costs incurred during the taxable year for each film studio located in Hawaii.
122122
123123 (c) The credit allowed under this section shall be claimed against the net income tax liability for the taxable year.
124124
125125 (d) The director of taxation:
126126
127127 (1) Shall prepare any forms that may be necessary to claim a tax credit under this section;
128128
129129 (2) May require the taxpayer to furnish reasonable information to ascertain the validity of the claim for the tax credit made under this section; and
130130
131131 (3) May adopt rules under chapter 91 necessary to effectuate the purposes of this section.
132132
133133 (e) If the tax credit under this section exceeds the taxpayer's income tax liability, the excess of the credit over liability may be used as a credit against the taxpayer's income tax liability in subsequent years until exhausted.
134134
135135 All claims for the tax credit under this section, including amended claims, shall be filed on or before the end of the twelfth month following the close of the taxable year for which the credit may be claimed. Failure to comply with the foregoing provision shall constitute a waiver of the right to claim the credit.
136136
137137 (f) No taxpayer that claims a credit under this section shall claim any other credit for the same film studio costs under this chapter.
138138
139139 (g) This section shall not apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, .
140140
141141 (h) As used in this section:
142142
143143 "Film studio costs" means costs incurred after , to plan, design, and construct film studio infrastructure.
144144
145145 "Film studio infrastructure" means:
146146
147147 (1) A large area of external works with significant areas of hard standing adjacent to the studios for production companies' support gallery vans, trailers, general parking and back lots;
148148
149149 (2) Permanent space for:
150150
151151 (A) Actors, presenters, and other on‑screen personnel, including dressing rooms, hair and make-up areas, green rooms;
152152
153153 (B) Catering and laundry facilities; and
154154
155155 (C) Production spaces, including editing suites, galleries, screening room and control rooms;
156156
157157 (3) Spaces for:
158158
159159 (A) Set design and set building;
160160
161161 (B) Costume planning and script writing;
162162
163163 (C) Set building workshops located next to the studio or stage that they are supporting; and
164164
165165 (D) Office accommodation for pre‑production activities,
166166
167167 regardless of whether they are in a single location and adjacent to individual studios or stages, or spread across the development;
168168
169169 (4) Sound insulation required between studios and other spaces inside and outside the building, or acoustic isolation to avoid bleed into the space from nearby traffic or industrial activity;
170170
171171 (5) Electrical power infrastructure:
172172
173173 (A) To support demand of up to one megawatt in a standard thirty-thousand foot production stage;
174174
175175 (B) That is provided in a dimmer room that is duplicated within the stages;
176176
177177 (C) Through which power connectivity is typically delivered via a combination of various-sized commando sockets and Powerlock 400A connectors;
178178
179179 (D) That, to the extent necessary to respond to high electrical loads, employs backup generators and a high-voltage power network; and
180180
181181 (E) That employs a utility-owned high-voltage substation as the point of connection to the studio site;
182182
183183 (6) Potable water and fire system infrastructures that employ:
184184
185185 (A) A single point of connection, which is then distributed across the development, unless this configuration is inappropriate for the purposes of the studio;
186186
187187 (B) A fire hydrant network to comply with applicable laws, and fed either by:
188188
189189 (i) A direct connection to the private network from the utility provider, dependent on guaranteed flow rate and pressure; or
190190
191191 (ii) An indirect connection to the private network via storage tanks and a booster set; and
192192
193193 (C) A sprinkler system,
194194
195195 to the extent appropriate for the purposes of a studio;
196196
197197 (7) Heating infrastructure for a studio;
198198
199199 (8) Ventilation or cooling infrastructure for a production stage, through the use of displacement ventilation through low-level displacement outlets;
200200
201201 (9) Information and communications technology and data infrastructure that:
202202
203203 (A) Ensures the provision of a site-wide information and communications technology network, with appropriate storage capabilities;
204204
205205 (B) Provides pre-production and post-production facilities with connectivity, as appropriate; and
206206
207207 (C) Provides wi-fi connectivity across the site; and
208208
209209 (10) Security infrastructure that provides perimeter protection that includes:
210210
211211 (A) Secure perimeter fencing, to provide a physical and visual barrier;
212212
213213 (B) Perimeter closed circuit television to monitor activities around the site boundary;
214214
215215 (C) External lighting to provide secure and safe routes around the development and improved visibility for closed circuit television monitoring; and
216216
217217 (D) Secure and managed entrances and exits for the site, to monitor all access.
218218
219219 "Net income tax liability" means income tax liability reduced by all other credits allowed under this chapter."
220220
221221 SECTION 4. Section 23-92, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (c) to read as follows:
222222
223223 "(c) This section shall apply to the following:
224224
225225 (1) Sections 235-12.5 and 241-4.6--Credit for renewable energy technology system installed and placed in service in the State. For the purpose of section 23‑91(b)(5), this credit shall be deemed to have been enacted for an economic benefit; and
226226
227227 (2) Section 235-17--Credit for [qualified] qualifying production [costs] expenditures incurred for a qualified motion picture, digital media, or film production."
228228
229229 SECTION 5. Section 121-19, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
230230
231231 "§121-19 Regulations governing armories, etc. Any law to the contrary notwithstanding, the adjutant general may make regulations to establish procedures governing the care and custody of department of defense facilities that are either set aside to the department of defense or on license from the federal government. The adjutant general may permit the use of or may temporarily rent to national guard units or other county, state, or federal government agency sponsoring or co-sponsoring meetings, classes, or other activities; hosting athletic events or competitions; billeting personnel in conjunction with sanctioned events such as agency-sponsored conferences or classes, agency-sponsored athletic or recreation programs, government-sponsored public hearings or meetings, unit-sponsored youth organizations and activities, or public school sponsored classes, dances, plays, and concerts; nonprofit or eleemosynary organizations conducting a community or group activity; and film production enterprise activities promoted and coordinated through the [Hawaii film industry branch, department of business, economic development, and tourism, such] Hawaii film commission, portions as will not interfere with the military use thereof. The adjutant general shall establish the rentals to be charged for their use and all net proceeds received from the rentals shall be deposited into the general fund of the State. Chapter 91 shall not apply."
232232
233233 SECTION 6. Section 235-17, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended as follows:
234234
235235 1. By amending subsection (a) to read:
236236
237237 "(a) [Any law to the contrary notwithstanding, there] There shall be allowed to each taxpayer subject to the taxes imposed by this chapter, an income tax credit that shall be deductible from the taxpayer's net income tax liability, if any, imposed by this chapter for the taxable year in which the credit is properly claimed. The amount of the credit shall be:
238238
239239 [(1) Twenty-two per cent of the qualified production costs incurred by a qualified production in any county of the State with a population of over seven hundred thousand; or
240240
241241 (2) Twenty-seven per cent of the qualified production costs incurred by a qualified production in any county of the State with a population of seven hundred thousand or less.
242242
243243 A qualified production occurring in more than one county may prorate its expenditures based upon the amounts spent in each county, if the population bases differ enough to change the percentage of tax credit.]
244244
245245 (1) With respect to productions not within a designated enhanced film production zone:
246246
247247 (A) Twenty per cent of the approved company's:
248248
249249 (i) Qualifying non-resident payroll expenditures for employees who are not resident taxpayers, not to exceed $1,000,000 in payroll expenditures per person; and
250250
251251 (ii) Qualifying production expenditures; or
252252
253253 (B) Twenty-five per cent of the approved company's qualifying resident payroll expenditures, not to exceed $1,000,000 in payroll expenditures per person; or
254254
255255 (2) With respect to productions within a designated enhanced film production zone:
256256
257257 (A) Twenty per cent of the approved company's:
258258
259259 (i) Qualifying non-resident payroll expenditures for employees who are not resident taxpayers, not to exceed $1,000,000 in payroll expenditures per person; and
260260
261261 (ii) Qualifying production expenditures; or
262262
263263 (B) Thirty per cent of the approved company's qualifying resident payroll expenditures for employees who are Hawaii resident taxpayers, not to exceed $1,000,000 in payroll expenditures per person.
264264
265265 In the case of a partnership, S corporation, estate, or trust, the tax credit allowable is for [qualified] qualifying production [costs] expenditures incurred by the entity for the taxable year. The [cost] expenditures upon which the tax credit is computed shall be determined at the entity level. Distribution and share of credit shall be determined by rule.
266266
267267 If a deduction is taken under section 179 (with respect to election to expense depreciable business assets) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, no tax credit shall be allowed for those costs for which the deduction is taken.
268268
269269 The basis for eligible property for depreciation of accelerated cost recovery system purposes for state income taxes shall be reduced by the amount of credit allowable and claimed.
270270
271271 Tax incentive agreements for approved companies under the tax credit program shall include a listing of the enhanced film production zones as of the date of the Hawaii state film office's approval of the project. Once an approved company enters into a tax incentive agreement, the listed enhanced film production zones shall maintain the enhanced benefits for the term of the agreement, regardless of any change in the status of the enhanced film production zones.
272272
273273 The approved company shall separately account for the requisite expenditures within enhanced film production zones. If the approved company demonstrates to the satisfaction of the department of taxation that it is not practical to use a separate accounting method to determine the expenditures within the enhanced film production zones, the approved company shall determine the correct expenditures within the enhanced film production zones using an alternative method approved by the department of taxation.
274274
275275 All previously approved tax credits shall remain valid until the stated expiration date."
276276
277277 2. By amending subsection (d) to read:
278278
279279 "(d) To qualify for this tax credit, a production shall:
280280
281281 (1) Meet the definition of a qualified production specified in subsection (o);
282282
283283 (2) Have [qualified] qualifying production [costs] expenditures totaling at least $100,000;
284284
285285 (3) Provide the State a qualified Hawaii promotion, which shall be at a minimum, a shared-card, end-title screen credit, where applicable;
286286
287287 (4) Provide evidence of reasonable efforts to hire local talent and crew;
288288
289289 (5) Provide evidence when making any claim for products or services acquired or rendered outside of this State that reasonable efforts were unsuccessful to secure and use comparable products or services within this State;
290290
291291 (6) Provide evidence of financial or in-kind contributions or educational or workforce development efforts, in partnership with related local industry labor organizations, educational institutions, or both, toward the furtherance of the local film and television and digital media industries;
292292
293293 (7) Provide proof of contact for every supporting union - signatory or non-signatory (including IATSE, SAG, Teamsters, IBEW, DGA AFM, and others), and a list of all members and their position titles that will be employed on the production; provided that, for all other production staff, the production shall provide a list of names, position titles and state resident status;
294294
295295 (8) Provide proof of contact for every supporting union - signatory or non-signatory (including IATSE, SAG, Teamsters, IBEW, DGA AFM, and others), and a list of all members and their position titles that will be employed on the production, to qualify for an open and accessible epermit or standard film permit; provided that, for all other production staff, the production shall provide a list of names, position titles and state resident status;
296296
297297 [(7)] (9) Be compliant with all applicable requirements under title 14, including tax return filing and payments; and
298298
299299 [(8)] (10) Provide complete responses to the department of taxation's inquiries and document requests, in the form prescribed by the department, no later than ninety days from the inquiry or request.
300300
301301 3. By amending subsection (f) to read:
302302
303303 "(f) To receive the tax credit, the taxpayer shall first prequalify the production for the credit by registering with the department of business, economic development, and tourism during the development or preproduction stage. Each prequalified production shall provide the department of business, economic development, and tourism a shooting schedule not later than seven days before the commencement of filming. If there are changes to the production schedule, an updated schedule shall be submitted to the department of business, economic development, and tourism. The department of business, economic development, and tourism shall conduct unannounced on-site audits based on the information the production submitted in the preproduction registration. If discrepancies are found between the preproduction submission and the actual onsite production, the production shall have seven working days to comply with the certified preproduction documentation. A follow-up onsite audit shall be conducted within one week of the seven-working day deadline. If the production remains noncompliant, the tax credit under this section shall be forfeited."
304304
305305 4. By amending subsections (h) to (j) to read:
306306
307307 "(h) Every taxpayer claiming a tax credit under this section for a qualified production shall, no later than ninety days following the end of each taxable year in which [qualified] qualifying production [costs] expenditures were expended, submit a written, sworn statement, verified by an independent third‑party auditor, to the department of business, economic development, and tourism that identifies:
308308
309309 (1) All [qualified] qualifying production [costs] expenditures as provided by subsection (a), if any, incurred in the previous taxable year;
310310
311311 (2) The amount of tax credits claimed pursuant to this section, if any, in the previous taxable year; and
312312
313313 (3) The number of total hires versus the number of local hires by category and by county.
314314
315315 This information may be reported from the department of business, economic development, and tourism to the legislature pursuant to subsection (i)(4).
316316
317317 (i) The department of business, economic development, and tourism shall:
318318
319319 (1) Maintain records of the names of the taxpayers and qualified productions thereof claiming the tax credits under subsection (a);
320320
321321 (2) Obtain and total the aggregate amounts of all [qualified] qualifying production [costs] expenditures per qualified production and per qualified production per taxable year;
322322
323323 (3) Provide a letter to the director of taxation specifying the amount of the tax credit per qualified production for each taxable year that a tax credit is claimed and the cumulative amount of the tax credit for all years claimed; [and]
324324
325325 (4) Submit a report to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of each regular session detailing the non-aggregated [qualified] qualifying production [costs] expenditures that form the basis of the tax credit claims and expenditures, itemized by taxpayer, in a redacted format to preserve the confidentiality and that shall include the dollar amount claimed, name of company, and name of the qualified production of the taxpayers claiming the credit[.];
326326
327327 (5) Publish on its website:
328328
329329 (A) A detailed list of film production goods and services vendor requirements; and
330330
331331 (B) The names of qualified productions and the amount of the tax credits certified per qualified production per filing year; and
332332
333333 (6) Provide the legislature with an annual rolling six-year forecast that details future productions, proposed schedule, and corresponding infrastructure, workforce, goods, and service needs.
334334
335335 (j) Upon each determination required under subsection (i), the department of business, economic development, and tourism shall issue a letter to the taxpayer, regarding the qualified production, specifying the [qualified] qualifying production [costs] expenditures and the tax credit amount qualified for in each taxable year a tax credit is claimed; provided that the department of business, economic development, and tourism shall issue the letter to the taxpayer no later than seven months after receipt of the taxpayer's statement under subsection (h). The taxpayer for each qualified production shall file the letter with the taxpayer's tax return for the qualified production to the department of taxation. Notwithstanding the authority of the department of business, economic development, and tourism under this section, the director of taxation may audit and adjust the tax credit amount to conform to the information filed by the taxpayer."
336336
337337 5. By amending subsections (n) and (o) to read:
338338
339339 "(n) The total amount of tax credits allowed under this section in any particular year shall be [$50,000,000;] $ ; however, if the total amount of credits applied for in any particular year exceeds the aggregate amount of credits allowed for that year under this section, the excess shall be treated as having been applied for in the subsequent year and shall be claimed in the subsequent year; provided that no excess shall be allowed to be claimed after December 31, [2032.] 2038.
340340
341341 (o) For the purposes of this section:
342342
343343 "Above-the-line production crew" means employees involved with the production of a motion picture or entertainment production whose salaries are negotiated before the commencement of production, including actors, directors, producers, and writers.
344344
345345 "Approved company" means an eligible production company approved for incentives under this section.
346346
347347 "Below-the-line production crew" means employees involved with the production of a motion picture or entertainment production, except above-the-line production crew. "Below‑the‑line production crew" includes:
348348
349349 (1) Casting assistants;
350350
351351 (2) Costume design;
352352
353353 (3) Extras;
354354
355355 (4) Gaffers;
356356
357357 (5) Grips;
358358
359359 (6) Location managers;
360360
361361 (7) Production assistants;
362362
363363 (8) Set construction staff;
364364
365365 (9) Set design staff; and
366366
367367 (10) Transportation staff.
368368
369369 "Commercial":
370370
371371 (1) Means an advertising message that is filmed using film, videotape, or digital media, for dissemination via television broadcast or theatrical distribution;
372372
373373 (2) Includes a series of advertising messages if all parts are produced at the same time over the course of six consecutive weeks; and
374374
375375 (3) Does not include an advertising message with Internet‑only distribution.
376376
377377 "Digital media" means production methods and platforms directly related to the creation of cinematic imagery and content, specifically using digital means, including but not limited to digital cameras, digital sound equipment, and computers, to be delivered via film, videotape, interactive game platform, or other digital distribution media.
378378
379379 "Enhanced film production zone" means an area:
380380
381381 (1) That is a designated film production zone that follows a same geographic area as a state enterprise zone under chapter 209E; and
382382
383383 (2) In which qualifying production expenditures and qualifying payroll expenditures are made.
384384
385385 "Excluded expenditures" means:
386386
387387 (1) Post-production expenditures for footage shot outside of the State, marketing, publicity, story tights, or distribution;
388388
389389 (2) Any expenditures for work or services not conducted or rendered in the State;
390390
391391 (3) In any instance in which services are conducted or rendered both in the State and outside the State, the work that is conducted or rendered outside of the State;
392392
393393 (4) Expenditures for services not performed at the filming site, unless the vendor is based in the State;
394394
395395 (5) Expenditures for goods that were not purchased or rented or leased in the State from a vendor based in Hawaii, including goods shipped or delivered from the Hawaii vendor's location outside of the State, unless more than a de minimis amount of the type of goods held and shipped or delivered from outside the State are normally held in inventory in the ordinary course of business in the State by the Hawaii vendor; provided that, for the purposes of this paragraph, a vendor that acts as a conduit to enable purchases or rentals to qualify that would not otherwise qualify shall not be considered to be vendor based in the State;
396396
397397 (6) Expenditures for goods not used in the State;
398398
399399 (7) Freight or shipping charges incurred relating to a vendor not based in the State; or
400400
401401 (8) Any transaction subject to taxation under chapter 238, for which taxes have not been demonstrably paid; provided that, for the purposes of this paragraph, use taxes paid by the production company itself shall be considered to have been demonstrably paid.
402402
403403 "Hawaii-based company" means a business:
404404
405405 (1) That has its principal place of business in the State; or
406406
407407 (2) With not less than fifty per cent of:
408408
409409 (A) Its property located in the State; and
410410
411411 (B) Its payroll paid in the State.
412412
413413 "Payroll" means salary, wages, or other compensation including related benefits, paid to employees and withheld and paid pursuant to section 235-62.
414414
415415 "Post-production" means production activities and services conducted after principal photography is completed, including but not limited to editing, film and video transfers, duplication, transcoding, dubbing, subtitling, credits, closed captioning, audio production, special effects (visual and sound), graphics, and animation.
416416
417417 "Production" means a series of activities that are directly related to the creation of visual and cinematic imagery to be delivered via film, videotape, or digital media and to be sold, distributed, or displayed as entertainment or the advertisement of products for mass public consumption, including but not limited to scripting, casting, set design and construction, transportation, videography, photography, sound recording, interactive game design, and post-production.
418418
419419 "Production partner" means a director, producer, production supervisor or manager, director of photography, production designer, casting director, production company, production services company, or post-production services company.
420420
421421 "Qualified production":
422422
423423 (1) Means [a production,] an approved company, with expenditures in the State, for the total or partial production of a feature-length motion picture, short film, made-for-television movie, commercial, music video, interactive game, television series pilot, single season (up to twenty-two episodes) of a television series regularly filmed in the State (if the number of episodes per single season exceeds twenty-two, additional episodes for the same season shall constitute a separate qualified production), television special, single television episode that is not part of a television series regularly filmed or based in the State, national magazine show, or national talk show. For the purposes of subsections (d) and (l), each of the aforementioned qualified production categories shall constitute separate, individual qualified productions; and
424424
425425 (2) Does not include:
426426
427427 (A) News;
428428
429429 (B) Public affairs programs;
430430
431431 (C) Non-national magazine or talk shows;
432432
433433 (D) Televised sporting events or activities;
434434
435435 (E) Productions that solicit funds;
436436
437437 (F) Productions produced primarily for industrial, corporate, institutional, or other private purposes; and
438438
439439 (G) Productions that include any material or performance prohibited by chapter 712.
440440
441441 "Qualifying nonresident payroll expenditure" means payroll paid to nonresident cast and crew:
442442
443443 (1) Whose wages are subject to Hawaii income tax withholding for that portion of their salary that is earned in the State; and
444444
445445 (2) For their work on a project:
446446
447447 (A) That:
448448
449449 (i) Is produced by a Hawaii-based company;
450450
451451 (ii) Is produced by a Hawaii subsidiary company of the applicant production company;
452452
453453 (iii) Is produced by a production company in which an owner, member, or principal is a Hawaii resident taxpayer; or
454454
455455 (iv) Engages a Hawaii resident taxpayer or company to serve as a production partner to the applicant production company; and
456456
457457 (B) For which the applicant company, or the individual or company serving as its production partner, has been associated with the production in Hawaii of at least two nationally-distributed motion pictures within the previous ten years and has filed Hawaii state income taxes for the three most recent taxable years, as verified by the department of taxation.
458458
459459 "Qualifying payroll expenditure" means compensation that is:
460460
461461 (1) Paid to above-the-line production crew and below‑the‑line production crew for services performed in the State for work on a motion picture or entertainment production; and
462462
463463 (2) Verified for proper remittance of withholding by the approved company or payroll service.
464464
465465 ["Qualified] "Qualifying production [costs"] expenditures" means the costs incurred by a qualified production within the State that are subject to the general excise tax under chapter 237 at the highest rate of tax or income tax under this chapter if the costs are not subject to general excise tax and that have not been financed by any investments for which a credit was or will be claimed pursuant to section 235-110.9. [Qualified] Qualifying production [costs] expenditures include [but are not limited to]:
466466
467467 (1) Costs incurred during preproduction such as location scouting and related services;
468468
469469 (2) Costs of set construction and operations, purchases or rentals of wardrobe, props, accessories, food, office supplies, transportation, equipment, and related services;
470470
471471 (3) Wages or salaries of cast, crew, and musicians;
472472
473473 (4) Costs of photography, sound synchronization, lighting, and related services;
474474
475475 (5) Costs of editing, visual effects, music, other post‑production, and related services;
476476
477477 (6) Rentals and fees for use of local facilities and locations, including rentals and fees for use of state and county facilities and locations that are not subject to general excise tax under chapter 237 or income tax under this chapter;
478478
479479 (7) Rentals of vehicles and lodging for cast and crew;
480480
481481 (8) Airfare for flights to or from Hawaii, and interisland flights;
482482
483483 (9) Insurance and bonding;
484484
485485 (10) Shipping of equipment and supplies to or from Hawaii, and interisland shipments; and
486486
487487 (11) Other direct production costs specified by the department in consultation with the department of business, economic development, and tourism;
488488
489489 provided that any government-imposed fines, penalties, or interest that are incurred by a qualified production within the State shall not be ["qualified] "qualifying production [costs". "Qualified] expenditures. "Qualifying production [costs"] expenditures" does not include any costs funded by any grant, forgivable loan, or other amounts not included in gross income for purposes of this chapter. "Qualifying production expenditures" does not include excluded expenditures.
490490
491491 "Qualifying resident payroll expenditure" means payroll paid to resident cast and crew:
492492
493493 (1) Domiciled in the State and physically present in the State for not fewer than nine months of the qualified production's taxable year; and
494494
495495 (2) Whose wages are subject to section 235-61."
496496
497497 SECTION 7. Act 88, Session Laws of Hawaii 2006, as amended by Act 89, Session Laws of Hawaii 2013, as amended by Act 143, Session Laws of Hawaii 2017, as amended by Act 217, Session laws of Hawaii 2022, is amended by amending section 4 to read as follows:
498498
499499 "SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2006; provided that:
500500
501501 (1) Section 2 of this Act shall apply to qualified production costs incurred on or after July 1, 2006, and before January 1, [2033;] 2038; and
502502
503503 (2) This Act shall be repealed on January 1, [2033,] 2038, and section 235-17, Hawaii Revised Statutes, shall be reenacted in the form in which it read on the day before the effective date of this Act."
504504
505505 SECTION 8. (a) The auditor is requested to conduct a performance and financial audit of the Hawaii state film office of the creative industries branch of the department of business, economic development, and tourism. The auditor is requested to include in the audit the policies, procedures, and processes of the Hawaii state film office as it pertains to the proper facilitation oversight, auditing and approvals given to productions qualifying them for the motion picture, digital media, and film production income tax credit and incentives:
506506
507507 (1) From fiscal years 2018-2019 to 2022-2023; and
508508
509509 (2) In future fiscal years.
510510
511511 (b) The auditor is requested to submit the performance and financial audit, including any findings, recommendations, and proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2024.
512512
513513 SECTION 9. All rights, powers, functions, and duties of the Hawaii state film office are transferred to the Hawaii film commission. The person who served as the Hawaii state film commissioner immediately before the effective date of this Act shall serve as the initial executive director of the Hawaii film commission, until that person resigns or until the commission appoints an executive director, whichever occurs first.
514514
515515 SECTION 10. All rules, policies, procedures, guidelines, and other material adopted or developed by the Hawaii state film office to implement provisions of the Hawaii Revised Statutes that are reenacted or made applicable to the Hawaii film commission by this Act shall remain in full force and effect until amended or repealed by the Hawaii film commission pursuant to chapter 91, Hawaii Revised Statutes. In the interim, every reference to the Hawaii state film office or the Hawaii state film commissioner in those rules, policies, procedures, guidelines, and other material is amended to refer to the Hawaii film commission or executive director of the Hawaii film commission, as appropriate.
516516
517517 SECTION 11. All deeds, leases, contracts, loans, agreements, permits, or other documents executed or entered into by or on behalf of the Hawaii state film office which are reenacted or made applicable to the Hawaii film commission by this Act, shall remain in full force and effect. Upon the effective date of this Act, every reference to the Hawaii state film office or the Hawaii state film commissioner therein shall be construed as a reference to the Hawaii film commission or executive director of the Hawaii film commission, as appropriate.
518518
519519 SECTION 12. All appropriations, records, equipment, machines, files, supplies, contracts, books, papers, documents, maps, and other personal property heretofore made, used, acquired, or held by the Hawaii state film office relating to the functions transferred to the Hawaii film commission shall be transferred with the functions to which they relate.
520520
521521 SECTION 13. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2023-2024 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2024-2025 to fund one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) executive director position within the Hawaii film commission.
522522
523523 The sums appropriated shall be expended by the Hawaii film commission for the purposes of this Act.
524524
525525 SECTION 14. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2023-2024 for a performance and financial audit of the Hawaii film office
526526
527527 The sum appropriated shall be expended by the office of the auditor for the purposes of this Act.
528528
529529 SECTION 15. This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun before its effective date.
530530
531531 SECTION 16. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.
532532
533533 SECTION 17. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2050.
534534
535535 Report Title: Hawaii Film Commission; Hawaii State Film Office; DBEDT; Tax Credits; Appropriations Description: Establishes the Hawaii Film Commission in the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism. Amends the administration and extends the sunset date of the motion picture, digital media, and film production income tax credit to 1/1/2038. Establishes a new film studio tax credit. Requests and appropriates funds for the Auditor to conduct a performance and financial audit of the Hawaii State Film Office. Transfers all rights, powers, functions, and duties of the Hawaii State Film Office to the Hawaii Film Commission. Appropriates funds for one full‑time equivalent executive director position within the Hawaii Film Commission. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1) The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
536536
537537
538538
539539
540540
541541 Report Title:
542542
543543 Hawaii Film Commission; Hawaii State Film Office; DBEDT; Tax Credits; Appropriations
544544
545545
546546
547547 Description:
548548
549549 Establishes the Hawaii Film Commission in the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism. Amends the administration and extends the sunset date of the motion picture, digital media, and film production income tax credit to 1/1/2038. Establishes a new film studio tax credit. Requests and appropriates funds for the Auditor to conduct a performance and financial audit of the Hawaii State Film Office. Transfers all rights, powers, functions, and duties of the Hawaii State Film Office to the Hawaii Film Commission. Appropriates funds for one full‑time equivalent executive director position within the Hawaii Film Commission. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
550550
551551
552552
553553
554554
555555
556556
557557 The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.