A bi-partisan group of members of the U.S. House of Representatives reintroduced legislation to provide wage-based tax relief for film and television projects produced in the United States. The bill-called "The United States Independent Film Television Act of 2003", HR715-is an effort to keep productions in the U.S. at a time when numerous projects are being film in Canada and elsewhere.

Also called the "Runaway Production" bill, the legislation would provide a wage-based tax credit for television and film projects produced in the United States. The credit would apply to productions with total labor costs from $200,000 to $10 million, the market segment believed to be most impacted by runaway production. The amount of the wage credit in most cases would be 25% of the first $25,000 in qualified wages per employee.

Although a similar bill failed in the House last year, the 2003 bill currently has bi-partisan support of over 50 co-sponsors. To date, none of the sponsors are from Minnesota.

More information on Runaway Production legislation can be found at: www.house.gov/dreier/releases/pr021203b.htm and
www.house.gov/berman/pr02123.htm.

If you would like to urge your Representative to support this bill, contact information for Minnesota's U.S. House members can be found at: www.house.gov/writerep