REP. STEVE PRECOURT ISSUES STATEMENT REGARDING CLAIMS THAT HB 697 IS DISCRIMINATORY
Tallahassee, FL -In response to inaccurate media coverage of HB 697, Representative Steve Precourt, chief sponsor of the legislation, issued the following statement:
"The Entertainment Industry Economic Development Act (HB 697) is a job creation bill that will employ Floridians and diversify our economy at little cost to the taxpayer. At a time when Florida is facing record unemployment, it is not surprising HB 697 passed unanimously in committee last week.
Any claim that our bill is discriminatory is simply wrong. Since its inception in 2003, Florida's film incentive program has included a family-friendly bonus of 2% that productions can volunteer to be considered for - it is not a requirement of the overall program. Our intent is to simply clarify that language and provide an increase to 5%. This small portion of the overall 30% incentive is geared toward productions defined loosely as "G" rated, or suitable for an audience as young as 5 years old.
Our innovative proposal enjoys strong bipartisan support and has been a collaborative effort with film and television production, labor unions, digital media and the hundreds of businesses across Florida involved in this dynamic industry.
As this critically important jobs bill moves forward, I will continue to work closely with key stakeholders to craft language that removes ambiguity and achieves our original intent - to re-invest in one of Florida's legacy industries, build Florida's family destination brand, and put Floridians back to work immediately."