A Northeast Ohio lawmaker is proposing an expansion of Ohio’s tax credit for motion pictures produced in the state.
HB 525 would more than double the current motion picture tax credit from $40 million to $100 million. It also awards credits twice annually for productions that spend at least $300,000 in-state.
Similar targeted credits in other states have had a modest effect on employment and wages for entertainment industry workers. Republican state Rep. Kirk Schuring is sponsoring the bill and says producers applying for Ohio’s credit need to show a return on the state’s investment.
“The producers have to show that we’re going to get a great return on our investment. We’re not going to let it be as it has been in the past, first come, first served,” Schuring said
The bill also extends the tax credit to Broadway shows that run six shows a week for more than five weeks. Workshop productions headed to New York would also qualify.
