120
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES             H.R. NO.              
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                     HOUSE  RESOLUTION

  REQUESTING A STUDY ON THE FEASIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING A HAWAII
    FILM INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT LOAN GUARANTEE PROGRAM.



 1        WHEREAS, in 1998, television series and pilots filmed in
 2   Hawaii generated $99,100,000 in expenditures in the State, an
 3   increase of forty percent from $70,700,000 spent in 1997; and
 4   
 5        WHEREAS, in 1998, three television series--two American
 6   and one Japanese--accounted for $28,200,000 of these
 7   expenditures in Hawaii; and
 8   
 9        WHEREAS, the television series "Baywatch" is filming 22
10   episodes in Hawaii, increasing not only direct film company
11   expenditures, but providing worldwide exposure through initial
12   airings and future reruns of these episodes; and
13   
14        WHEREAS, feature film production crews spent $12,640,000
15   in Hawaii in 1998--a drop from the previous year's expenditures
16   of $22,650,000--but still a significant contribution to the
17   local economy; and
18   
19        WHEREAS, as a result of these expenditures, Hawaii
20   collected $18,200,000 in state and local tax revenues for 1998;
21   and
22   
23        WHEREAS, the film industry provides many benefits to
24   Hawaii in the form of employment for residents, income for
25   local supply companies--as well as the additional taxes
26   generated as a result--and free publicity on the U.S. mainland
27   and in foreign countries that can attract visitors to Hawaii;
28   and
29   
30        WHEREAS, the State has a strong incentive to attract
31   additional film productions and to assist the local film
32   industry in a fiercely competitive global market; and
33   
34        WHEREAS, in 1999, the Texas Legislature, recognizing the
35   importance of the film industry in that state, passed
36   legislation establishing a film industry development loan
37   guarantee program to facilitate access to capital for the
38   production of filmed entertainment in Texas; and

 
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                                  H.R. NO.              
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1        WHEREAS, such a program could be beneficial for the Hawaii
 2   film industry and, in turn, for the State as a whole; now,
 3   therefore,
 4   
 5        BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the
 6   Twentieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session
 7   of 2000, that the Legislative Reference Bureau is requested to
 8   conduct a study on the feasibility of establishing a Hawaii
 9   film industry development loan guarantee program; and
10   
11        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this study include:
12   
13        (1)  A review of similar programs in other jurisdictions,
14             including the recently established Texas film
15             industry development loan guarantee program;
16   
17        (2)  An assessment of which current or prospective
18             segments of the Hawaii film industry would benefit
19             most from a loan guarantee program;
20   
21        (3)  The projected costs of administering such a program;
22             and
23   
24        (4)  Any additional considerations that may arise as a
25             result of the study;
26   
27   and
28   
29        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislative Reference
30   Bureau is requested to submit a report of the findings and
31   recommendations, including any recommended legislation
32   necessary to establish a Hawaii film industry development loan
33   guarantee program, to the Legislature no later than twenty days
34   prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2001; and
35   
36        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
37   Resolution be transmitted to the Acting Director of the
38   Legislative Reference Bureau and the Director of Business,
39   Economic Development, and Tourism.
40 
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43                         OFFERED BY:  ____________________________