Senate Resolution (SR) 1808, filed by Senator Annette Taddeo (D- Miami-Dade County) passed favorably out of the Senate Committee on Rules by unanimous vote. SR 1808 is a “Resolution,” meaning it is not a law, a grant program, or incentive, nor does it have any financial appropriation.
SR 1808 is “a resolution recognizing the value of film and television production as an economic driver and a creator of high-wage jobs, encouraging the collaboration of public-sector and private-sector efforts through the development of programs and partnerships, and encouraging the Florida Office of Film and Entertainment’s continued support of various collaborative programs and partnerships for national and international marketing.”
While this Resolution may not affect the legislation Film Florida has been advocating for (SB 526 and HB 1401), it was another opportunity for legislators to voice support for our industry. The Senate Committee on Rules has 17 members, which means 42.5% of the Florida Senate had the opportunity to learn more about our industry in committee. Next stop for SR 1808 is the Senate floor for a full Senate vote.
The legislative session ends Friday May 3, 2019. Regardless of how the legislative session ends, this is another example of the conversation about the film, television and digital media industry changing in Tallahassee. Between our messaging about the amount of lost business in Florida ($1 billion+ in last 4 years), the high-wage jobs in our industry (avg. $81K+ per year), and film-induced tourism (Dolphin Tale, Bloodline, and many more), the positive energy for our industry is noticeably different at the Capitol.
We appreciate your ongoing support and engagement, and we look forward to continuing to spread the positive message about our industry.