SLS 11RS-606 REENGROSSED Page 1 of 5 Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law; words in boldface type and underscored are additions. Regular Session, 2011 SENATE BILL NO. 264 BY SENATOR CHAISSON TAX/TAXATION. Provides for motion picture investor tax credits. (gov sig) AN ACT1 To amend and reenact R.S. 47:6007(B)(7) and (C)(2) and (4) and to enact R.S.2 47:6007(B)(15) and (C)(1)(c)(iii), relative to tax credits; to provide for granting3 motion picture investor tax credits; to provide for definitions, allowing the credits,4 and transferability; and to provide for related matters.5 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:6 Section 1. R.S. 47:6007(B)(7) and (C)(2) and (4) are hereby amended and reenacted7 and R.S. 47:6007(B)(15) and (C)(1)(c)(iii) are hereby enacted to read as follows: 8 ยง6007. Motion picture investor tax credit9 * * *10 B. Definitions. For the purposes of this Section:11 * * *12 (7) "Office" means the Governor's Office of Film and Television13 Development until August 15, 2006; thereafter, the term "office" means the office14 of entertainment industry development in the Department of Economic Development15 provided for in R.S. 51:938.1.16 * * *17 SB NO. 264 SLS 11RS-606 REENGROSSED Page 2 of 5 Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law; words in boldface type and underscored are additions. (15) "Film production servicing and support facilities" shall mean a film,1 video, television, and/or digital production and/or postproduction facilities, and2 movable and immovable property and equipment directly related thereto, or3 any other assets which support and are a necessary component of such film4 production servicing and support facilities, all as determined and approved by5 the office. The term "film production servicing and support facilities" shall not6 include movie theaters or other commercial exhibition facilities.7 C. Investor tax credit; specific productions and projects.8 (1) There is hereby authorized a tax credit against state income tax for9 Louisiana taxpayers for investment in state-certified productions. The tax credit shall10 be earned by investors at the time expenditures are made by a motion picture11 production company in a state-certified production. However, credits cannot be12 applied against a tax or transferred until the expenditures are certified by the office13 and the secretary. For state-certified productions, expenditures shall be certified no14 more than twice during the duration of a state-certified production unless the motion15 picture production company agrees to reimburse the office for the costs of any16 additional certifications. The tax credit shall be calculated as a percentage of the total17 base investment dollars certified per project.18 * * *19 (c) For state-certified productions approved by the office and the secretary20 on or after July 1, 2009:21 * * *22 (iii)(AA) In lieu of the additional five percent credit for payroll allowed23 in Item (ii) of this Subparagraph, an approved investor shall be allowed an24 additional tax credit of five percent of the total base investment made in the25 state by the approved investor in state-certified productions if the following26 conditions are met:27 (I) The aggregate total base investment expended in the state within any28 fiscal year commencing on or after July 1, 2011, on state-certified productions29 SB NO. 264 SLS 11RS-606 REENGROSSED Page 3 of 5 Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law; words in boldface type and underscored are additions. is equal to or greater than fifty million dollars.1 (II) The total base investment expended on each such state-certified2 production is fifty percent or more of the total production expenditures, both3 in state and out of state, for each such production as determined by the office.4 (BB) However, the tax credit provided for in this Subparagraph shall not5 apply to that portion of the base investment which are production expenditures6 of those employed in connection with the state-certified productions who are not7 Louisiana residents.8 (CC) As used in this Item, the term "approved investor" means an9 investor which, together with any other persons or entities which, directly or10 indirectly, wholly own such investor or are wholly owned by such investor as11 determined by the office, has demonstrated a long term commitment to the film12 industry in the state of Louisiana by expending, on or after July 1, 2011, five13 million dollars or more in the construction of film production servicing and14 support facilities in Louisiana approved by the office.15 * * *16 (2) The credit shall be allowed against the income tax for the taxable period17 tax year in which the credit is earned or for the taxable period tax year in which18 initial certification authorizes the credit to be taken. If the tax credit allowed pursuant19 to this Section exceeds the amount of such taxes due for such tax period, then any20 unused credit may be carried forward as a credit against subsequent tax liability for21 a period not to exceed ten years.22 * * *23 (4) Transferability of the credit. Any motion picture investor tax credits not24 previously claimed by any taxpayer against its income tax may be transferred or sold25 to another Louisiana taxpayer or to the office, subject to the following conditions:26 * * *27 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not28 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature29 SB NO. 264 SLS 11RS-606 REENGROSSED Page 4 of 5 Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law; words in boldface type and underscored are additions. by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If1 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become2 effective on the day following such approval.3 The original instrument was prepared by Riley Boudreaux. The following digest, which does not constitute a part of the legislative instrument, was prepared by Linda Nugent. DIGEST Chaisson (SB 264) Proposed law provides in lieu of the additional five percent credit for payroll contained in present law, an approved investor may take an additional tax credit of five percent of the total base investment in the state if the following conditions are met: 1. The aggregate total base investment expended in the state within any fiscal year beginning on or after July 1, 2011, on state-certified productions is at least $50 million. 2. The total base investment expended on each production is at least 50% of the total production expenditures, both in state and out of state, for each production. Proposed law restricts the proposed tax credit to the portion of the base investment which are production expenditures of employees who are Louisiana residents. Proposed law defines approved investor as one which has expended on or after July 1, 2011, at least $5 million in the construction of film production servicing and support facilities in Louisiana. Proposed law specifies the administrator of motion picture investor tax credits as the office of entertainment industry development in the Department of Economic Development. Proposed law allows credits to be taken against income tax for the tax year in which the credit is earned or for the tax year in which initial certification authorizes the credit to be taken. Effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action. (Amends R.S. 47:6007(B)(7) and (C)(2) and (4); adds R.S. 47:6007(B)(15) and (C)(1)(c)(iii)) Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate Senate Floor Amendments to engrossed bill. 1. Authorizes an approved investor an additional five percent of the total base investment in lieu of the additional five percent credit for payroll, if: a. The aggregate total base investment in the state in a fiscal year, beginning on or after July 2, 2011, is at least $50 million, and b The total base investment on each production is at least 50% of total production expenditures, in state and out of state, on each production. SB NO. 264 SLS 11RS-606 REENGROSSED Page 5 of 5 Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law; words in boldface type and underscored are additions. 2. Restricts the proposed tax credit to the portion of the base investment which are production expenditures of employees who are Louisiana residents. 3. Defines "approved investor" and "film production servicing and support facilities in Louisiana".