In late March, we traveled to Sacramento again to advocate for the expansion of the California Film & Television Jobs Program. Joined by nearly 100 members of our Entertainment Union Coalition, we continued pushing for increased funding — from $330 million to $750 million annually — to keep California competitive and safeguard jobs in our industry.
This trip featured an emphasis on reaching our Northern California representatives with our stories. Among those attending were San Francisco-Northern California Local President Kathryn Howell, Local Board members Joseph McGinley and Don Black, and Los Angeles Local member P.J. Byrne.
Public comment at the Senate Revenue and Tax Budget Subcommittee highlighted the urgent need for this expansion. You can watch the full hearing here: Watch the Hearing.
In addition, we saw progress on AB1138 and SB630, two key bills announced by Assembly member Rick Zbur and state Sen. Ben Allen at a press conference at SAG-AFTRA Plaza. These bills aim to modernize the program and increase annual funding. Notably, they propose expanding the definition of a qualified motion picture and increasing the available credit for individual projects from 20% to 35% across the state, with additional credits outside LA.
While the exact language is still being refined, we’re working closely with Zbur and Allen to ensure these bills will have the greatest impact on job retention and creation in California.
In the coming weeks, we’ll be sending a letter for you to send to your elected officials, urging them to support the funding expansion and the key elements of these bills.
A heartfelt thank you to the members who joined us in Sacramento and shared their stories. We’ll likely return multiple times as we approach the budget vote in June.
Please keep sharing your stories on social media about how production work impacts you, your family and your community. Use the hashtag #KeepCaliforniaRolling and tag @SAGAFTRA.
Let’s Keep California Rolling!
In unity,
SAG-AFTRA