Oklahoma 2023 2023 Regular Session

Oklahoma House Bill HB2459 Engrossed / Bill

Filed 05/01/2023

                     
 
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ENGROSSED SENATE AMENDMENT 
TO 
ENGROSSED HOUSE 
BILL NO. 2459 	By: Hill and McDugle of the 
House 
 
  and 
 
  Hall of the Senate 
 
 
 
An Act relating to revenue and taxation; amending 68 
O.S. 2021, Sections 3632, 3635, and 3638, which 
relate to the Filmed in Okl ahoma Act of 2021; 
modifying definitions; modifying incentive related to 
certain post production activity; modifying 
provisions related to appearance of logo in finished 
productions; providing an effective date; and 
declaring an emergency. 
 
 
 
 
AMENDMENT NO. 1. Page 1, strike the title, enacting clause and 
entire bill and insert 
 
 
“[ rebate incentives - Filmed in Oklahoma Act of 2021 
- appearance of logo - effective date -   
  emergency ] 
 
 
 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: 
SECTION 1.     AMENDATORY     68 O.S. 2021, Section 3632, is 
amended to read as follows: 
Section 3632. As used in the Filmed in Oklahoma Act of 2021: 
1.  “Above-the-line personnel” means producers, principal cast, 
screenwriters, and directors who work on production of films or 
television series.  The qualifying salary of above-the-line   
 
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personnel may be included as crew, as defined in paragraph 3 of this 
section, if the salaries are paid to loan -out corporations and 
limited liability companies registered to do business in this state 
or the salaries are paid to Oklahoma-based above-the-line personnel.  
The qualifying salary of above -the-line personnel shall not comprise 
more than twenty-five percent (25%) of total expenditures as defined 
in paragraph 5 of this section.  For purposes of this paragraph, 
“Oklahoma-based” means a company or individual with an Oklahoma 
income tax requirement; 
2.  “Apprentice” means a person who works for a skilled or 
qualified person in order to learn a trade or profes sion for an 
agreed-upon period of time.  An apprentice may work in any of the 
trades recognized by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce as 
necessary for a film production.  An apprentice shall be required to 
complete safety training appropriate for the duti es to be performed 
in connection with a qualified project and also to complete a course 
related to and with the objective of preventing wo rkplace 
misbehavior, such as bullying and sexual harassment; 
3.  “Crew” means any person who works on preproduction, 
principal photography and postproduction post-production, with the 
exception of above-the-line-personnel above-the-line personnel; 
4.  “Eligible television series” means a project if either 
seventy-five percent (75%) of the series season is filmed within the   
 
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state or, for an episodic television pilot, if more than seventy -
five percent (75%) of the pilot is filmed within the state; 
5.  “Expenditure” or “production cost” includes but is not 
limited to: 
a. wages or salaries of persons who are residents of this 
state or who are enrolled as full -time students at a 
college or university located in the state offering an 
undergraduate degree program or who are on active 
military duty and stati oned in Oklahoma or involved in 
a restorative workforce program and who have earned 
income from working on a film in this state including 
payments to personal services corporations with 
respect to the servi ces of qualified performing 
artists, pursuant to the provisions of the Internal 
Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C., Section 62(a)(2), 
b. the cost of construction and operations, wardrobe, 
accessories and related services, 
c. the cost of photography, sound synchroniza tion, 
lighting and related services, 
d. the cost of editing and related services, 
e. rental of facilities and equipment, 
f. other direct costs of producing a film, and   
 
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g. the wages and salaries of persons who are defined and 
registered as an Oklahoma Expat riate by the Office of 
the Oklahoma Film and Musi c Commission Office; 
6.  “Film” means a professional single media, multimedia program 
or feature, which is not child pornography as defined in su bsection 
A of Section 1024.1 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes or obscene 
material as defined in paragraph 1 of sub section B of Section 1024.1 
of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes including, but not limited to, 
national advertising messages that are bro adcast on a national 
affiliate or cable network, fixed on film or dig ital video, which 
can be viewed or reproduced and which is exhibited in theaters, 
licensed for exhibition by individual television stations, groups of 
stations, networks, cable television stations or other means or 
licensed for home viewing markets. The term shall also include 
filming for interactive an d video gaming including, but not limited 
to, green screen, motion capture and similar production techniques; 
7.  “Multi-film deal” means a project in which a production 
company films at least seventy-five percent (75%) of main crew 
principal photography f or three (3) or more films in this state 
within three (3) years or where the third film starts main crew 
principal photography within the three (3) year period; 
8. “Nonresident crew member” means a person who is not an 
Oklahoma resident, hired for a quali fying production project   
 
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occurring within the state and who is subject to the payment of 
Oklahoma employment taxes; 
9.  “Production company” means a person, producer or company who 
produces film for exhib ition in theaters, on television or 
elsewhere; 
10.  “Qualified production expenditure amount” means an 
expenditure defined pursuant to paragraph 5 of this section; and 
11. “Qualified soundstage facility” means a state certified 
industry standard soundst age facility having not less than seven 
thousand five hundred (7,500) square feet of combined soundstage 
space and with a total state rental cost to the production company 
equal to at least one percent (1%) three percent (3%) of the 
qualifying Oklahoma expenditures with respect to a production. 
SECTION 2.     AMENDATORY     68 O.S. 2021, Section 3635, is 
amended to read as follows: 
Section 3635. A.  Subject to the final approv al of the 
eligibility application by the Oklahoma Department of Comm erce, a 
requirement that the incentive payments made pursuant to the 
provisions of this act the Filmed in Oklahoma Act of 2021 achieve 
the maximum positive impact for the Oklahoma economy and subject to 
the Oklahoma workforce requirements of Secti on 7 3637 of this act 
title, the base incentive amount for a project filmed in this state, 
not including above-the-line personnel, shall be a maximum of twenty 
thirty percent (20%) (30%) of the qualified production expenditure   
 
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amount.  An incentive for a project filmed in this state for wages 
paid to nonresident crew, not including above-the-line personnel, 
before July 1, 2023, shall be provided in the amount of seven and 
one-half percent (7.5%) for wages paid before April 1, 2023 and 
twenty percent (20%) for wages paid on or after April 1, 2023 . 
B.  In addition to the amount authorized by subsection A of this 
section, there may be an additional incentive amount, sub ject to the 
final approval of the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, in the 
maximum amount of: 
1.  Three percent (3%) of the qualified production expenditure 
amount for projects where at least twenty-five percent (25%) of main 
crew principal photography days are filmed on location, excluding 
sound stage production, in any county of this state if the county 
has a population of less than two hundred fifty thousand (250,000) 
persons according to the federal Federal Decennial Census or most 
recent population estimate; 
2.  Two percent (2%) of the qualified production expenditure 
amount for projects whose hub location, as determined by the 
Department, is or projects where at least twenty-five percent (25%) 
of main crew principal p hotography days are filmed o n location, 
excluding sound stage production, in a municipality having a 
population of thirteen thousand (13,000) twenty-five thousand 
(25,000) or fewer persons according to the federal Federal Decennial   
 
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Census or most recent po pulation estimate regardless of the county 
in which the municipality is located or partially located; 
3.  Five percent (5%) of the qualified production expenditure 
amount for soundstage expenditures if at least twenty-five percent 
(25%) of main crew princi pal photography days are filmed at a 
qualified soundstage facility; 
4.  For eligible television series as defined in paragraph 4 of 
Section 2 3632 of this act title: 
a. two percent (2%) of the qualified production 
expenditure amount for an eligible television episodic 
pilot, and 
b. five percent (5%) of the qualified production 
expenditure amount if a television series is filmed 
for one or more seasons; 
5.  Five percent (5%) of the qualified production expenditure 
amount for an eligible multi-film deal as defined in paragraph 7 of 
Section 2 3632 of this act title; and 
6.  On or after July 1, 2023, two percent (2%) of the qualified 
production expenditure amount for the post -production expenses of: 
a. music production, recording, mixing, or composition, 
or 
b. licensing of Oklahoma music ; and 
7. Three percent (3%) of the qualified production expenditure 
amount based on expenditures paid to Oklahoma vendors for post-  
 
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production expenses with a minimum expenditure of three percent (3%) 
of Oklahoma production expend itures. Post-production expenditures 
include but are not limited to the following categories: 
a. sound recording or mixing, 
b. color grading, 
c. editorial work, 
d. visual effects, 
e. animation, 
f. deliverables, excluding marketing and advertising, 
g. music production, recording, mixing or composition, 
h. licensing of Oklahoma music, and 
i. editing equipment or editing facility rental, 
h. color grading or digital intermediate processing, 
i. audio post-production processes including Foley artist 
processes or services, and 
j. graphics, including but not limited to the GFX system. 
SECTION 3.     AMENDATORY     68 O.S. 2021, Section 3638, is 
amended to read as fo llows: 
Section 3638. All production projects for which any incentive 
is paid pursuant to the provisions of this act the Filmed in 
Oklahoma Act of 2021 shall contain a logo, as approved by the 
Oklahoma Department of Commerce, to be displayed in the end credits 
of the finished production for a period of at least five (5) seconds 
or, if the production does not contain end credits, the Oklahoma   
 
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Department of Commerce shall obtain a commitment by the productio n 
company to provide equivalent value as determined by the Oklahoma 
Department of Commerce. 
SECTION 4.  Sections 1 and 3 of this act shall become effec tive 
July 1, 2023. 
SECTION 5.  It being immediately necessary for the pre servation 
of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby 
declared to exist, by reason whereo f this act shall take effect and 
be in full force from and a fter its passage and approval. ” 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Passed the Senate the 27th day of April, 2023. 
 
 
  
 	Presiding Officer of the Senate 
 
 
Passed the House of Representatives the ____ day of __________, 
2023. 
 
 
  
 	Presiding Officer of the House 
 	of Representatives   
 
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ENGROSSED HOUSE 
BILL NO. 2459 	By: Hill, and McDugle of the 
House 
 
   and 
 
  Hall of the Senate 
 
 
 
 
 
An Act relating to revenue and taxation; amending 68 
O.S. 2021, Sections 3632, 3635, and 3638, which 
relate to the Filmed in Okla homa Act of 2021; 
modifying definitions; modifying incentive related to 
certain post production activity; modifying 
provisions related to appearance of logo in finished 
productions; providing an effective date; and 
declaring an emergency. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: 
SECTION 6.     AMENDATORY     68 O.S. 2021, Section 3632, is 
amended to read as follows: 
Section 3632. As used in the Filmed in Oklahoma Act of 2021: 
1.  "Above-the-line personnel" means producers, principal cast, 
screenwriters and directors who work o n production of films or 
television series.  The qualifying salary of above-the-line 
personnel may be included as crew, as defined in paragraph 3 of this 
section, if the salaries are paid to loan -out corporations and 
limited liability companies registered to do business in this state 
or the salaries are paid to Oklahoma -based above-the-line personnel.    
 
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The qualifying salary of above -the-line personnel shall not comprise 
more than twenty-five percent (25%) of total expenditures as defined 
in paragraph 5 of this section.  For purposes of this paragraph, 
"Oklahoma-based" means a company or individual with an Oklahoma 
income tax requirement; 
2.  "Apprentice" means a person who works for a skilled or 
qualified person in order to learn a trade or profession for an 
agreed-upon period of time.  An apprentice may work in any of the 
trades recognized by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce as 
necessary for a film production.  An apprentice shall be required to 
complete safety training appropriate for the duties to be performed 
in connection with a qualified project and also to complete a course 
related to and with the object ive of preventing wo rkplace 
misbehavior, such as bullying and sexual harassment; 
3.  "Crew" means any person who works on preproduction, 
principal photography and postproduction, with the exception of 
above-the-line-personnel above-the-line personnel; 
4.  "Eligible television series" means a project if either 
seventy-five percent (75%) of the series season is filmed within the 
state or, for an episodic television pilot, if more than seventy -
five percent (75%) of the pilot is filmed within the state; 
5.  "Expenditure" or "production cost" includes but is not 
limited to:   
 
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a. wages or salaries of persons who are residents of this 
state or who are enrolled as full -time students at a 
college or university located in the state offering an 
undergraduate degree program or who are on active 
military duty and stati oned in Oklahoma or involved in 
a restorative workforce program and who have earned 
income from working on a film in this state including 
payments to personal services corporations with 
respect to the services of qualified performing 
artists, pursuant to the provisions of the Internal 
Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C., Section 62(a)(2), 
b. the cost of construction and operations, wardrobe, 
accessories and related services, 
c. the cost of photography, sound synchronization, 
lighting and related services, 
d. the cost of editing and related services, 
e. rental of facilities and equipment, 
f. other direct costs of producing a film, and 
g. the wages and salaries of persons who are defined and 
registered as an Oklahoma Expatr iate by the Office of 
the Oklahoma Film and Musi c Commission; 
6.  "Film" means a professional single media, multimedia program 
or feature, which is not child pornography as defined in su bsection 
A of Section 1024.1 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes or obscene   
 
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material as defined in paragraph 1 of sub section B of Section 1024.1 
of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes including, but not limited to, 
national advertising messages that are bro adcast on a national 
affiliate or cable net work, fixed on film or dig ital video, which 
can be viewed or reproduced and which is exhibited in theaters, 
licensed for exhibition by individual television stations, groups of 
stations, networks, cable television stations or other means or 
licensed for home viewing markets. The term shall also include 
filming for interactive an d video gaming including, but not limited 
to, green screen, motion capture and similar production techniques; 
7.  "Multi-film deal" means a project in which a production 
company films at least seventy-five percent (75%) of main crew 
principal photography f or three (3) or more films in this state 
within three (3) years or where the third film starts main crew 
principal photography within the three (3) year period; 
8.  "Nonresident crew member" means a person who is not an 
Oklahoma resident, hired for a quali fying production project 
occurring within the state and who is subject to the payment of 
Oklahoma employment taxes; 
9.  "Production company" means a person, producer or company who 
produces film for exhib ition in theaters, on television or 
elsewhere; 
10.  "Qualified production expenditure amount" means an 
expenditure defined pursuant to paragraph 5 of this section; and   
 
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11. "Qualified soundstage facility" means a state certified 
industry standard soundst age facility having not less than seven 
thousand five hundred (7,500) square feet of combined soundstage 
space and with a total state rental cost to the production company 
equal to at least one percent (1%) three percent (3%) of the 
qualifying Oklahoma expenditures with resp ect to a production. 
SECTION 7.     AMENDATORY     68 O.S. 2021, Section 3635, is 
amended to read as follows: 
Section 3635. A.  Subject to the final approval of the 
eligibility application by the Oklahoma Department of Comm erce, a 
requirement that the incentive payments made pursuant to the 
provisions of this act achieve the maximum positive impact for the 
Oklahoma economy and subject to the Oklahoma workforce requirements 
of Section 7 3637 of this act title, the base incentive amount for a 
project filmed in this state, not including above-the-line 
personnel, shall be a maximum of twenty thirty percent (20%) (30%) 
of the qualified production expenditure amount.  An incentive for a 
project filmed in this state for wages paid to nonresident crew, not 
including above-the-line personnel, before July 1, 2023, shall be 
provided in the amount of seven and one-half twenty percent (7.5%) 
(20%). 
B. In addition to the amount authorized by subsection A of this 
section, there may be an additional incentive amount, subje ct to the   
 
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final approval of the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, in the 
maximum amount of: 
1.  Three percent (3%) of the qualified production expenditure 
amount for projects where at least twenty-five percent (25%) of main 
crew principal photography days are filmed on loca tion, excluding 
sound stage production, in any county of this state if the county 
has a population of less than two hundred fifty thousand (250,000) 
persons according to the federal Federal Decennial Census or most 
recent population estimate; 
2.  Two percent (2%) of the qualified production expenditure 
amount for projects whose hub location, as determined by the 
Department, is or projects where at least twenty-five percent (25%) 
of main crew principal photography days are filmed o n location, 
excluding sound stage production, in a municipality having a 
population of thirteen thousand (13,000) twenty-five thousand 
(25,000) or fewer persons according to the federal Federal Decennial 
Census or most recent population estim ate regardless of the county 
in which the municipality is located or partially located; 
3.  Five percent (5%) of the qualified production expenditure 
amount for soundstage expenditures if at least twenty-five percent 
(25%) of main crew principal photograph y days are filmed at a 
qualified soundstage facility; 
4.  For eligible television series as defined in paragraph 4 of 
Section 2 3632 of this act title:   
 
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a. two percent (2%) of the qualified production 
expenditure amount for an eligible television episodic 
pilot, and 
b. five percent (5%) of the qualified production 
expenditure amount if a television series is filmed 
for one or more seasons; 
5.  Five percent (5%) of the qualified production expenditure 
amount for an eligible multi-film deal as defined in paragraph 7 of 
Section 2 3632 of this act title; and 
6.  On or after July 1, 2 023, two percent (2%) of the qualified 
production expenditure amount for the post production expenses of: 
a. music production, recording, mixing, or composition, 
or  
b. licensing of Oklahoma music ; 
7. Three percent (3%) of the qualified production expenditure 
amount based on expenditures paid to Oklahoma vendors for post-
production expenses with a minimu m expenditure of three percent (3%) 
of Oklahoma production expenditures . Post-production expenditures 
include but are not limited to the following categories: 
a. sound recording or mixing, 
b. color grading, 
c. editorial work, 
d. visual effects, 
e. animation,   
 
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f. deliverables, excluding marketing and advertising, 
g. music production, recording, mixing or composition, 
h. licensing of Oklahoma music, and 
i. editing equipment or editing facility rental, 
h. color grading or digital intermediate processing, 
i. audio post production processes including Foley artist 
processes or services, and 
j. graphics, including but not limited to the GFX system. 
SECTION 8.    AMENDATORY     68 O.S. 2021, Section 3638, is 
amended to read as follows: 
Section 3638. All production projects for which any incentive 
is paid pursuant to t he provisions of this act shall contain a logo, 
as approved by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, to be displayed 
in the end credits of the finished production for a period of at 
least five (5) seconds or, if the production does not contain end 
credits, the Oklahoma Department of Commerce shall obtain a 
commitment by the productio n company to provide equivalent value as 
determined by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce. 
SECTION 9.  Sections 1 and 3 of this act shall become effec tive 
July 1, 2023. 
SECTION 10.  It being immediately necessary for the pre servation 
of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby 
declared to exist, by reason whereo f this act shall take effect and 
be in full force from and a fter its passage and approval.   
 
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Passed the House of Representatives the 20th day of March, 2023. 
 
 
 
  
 	Presiding Officer of the House 
 	of Representatives 
 
 
 
Passed the Senate the ____ day of __________, 2023. 
 
 
 
  
 	Presiding Officer of the Senate