SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 48

46th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2004

INTRODUCED BY

Leonard Lee Rawson

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE NEW MEXICO FILM DIVISION OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT TO EXAMINE THE BARRIERS TO FILM PRODUCTION, INCLUDING THE DESIGNATION OF LIMITED AREAS OF NEW MEXICO AS PRODUCTION CENTERS IN WHICH PER DIEM PAYMENTS TO WORKERS ARE NOT REQUIRED.

     WHEREAS, the state of New Mexico has made great strides in encouraging producers of films and motion pictures to shoot their productions within our borders, using the state's magnificent vistas as their backdrops and hard-working New Mexicans as production workers; and

     WHEREAS, the state offers a variety of tax incentives and financing packages for film and motion picture producers in an effort to draw that clean industry and its good jobs to the state; and

     WHEREAS, through those tax incentives and financing packages, all New Mexicans indirectly contribute to the effort to attract those productions; but, due to several factors, including a limited number of trained production workers and provisions in the standard contract with production workers, not all New Mexicans benefit from the production of films and motion pictures in this state; and

     WHEREAS, those contact provisions include requirements that producers pay per diem and other costs to production workers when filming takes place outside of the Albuquerque-Santa Fe area; and

     WHEREAS, while the standard contract similarly requires per diem and other payments when producers film outside one or two areas in other states, New Mexico is unique because state, not local, incentives apply to film producers; and

     WHEREAS, the requirement in the standard contract between the motion picture industry and the international alliance of theatrical stage employees has the effect of discouraging producers from filming in other parts of New Mexico, which in turn limits the favorable economic effects of such productions to the Albuquerque-Santa Fe area;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico film division of the economic development department be requested to examine all barriers to film productions throughout New Mexico and report its findings and recommendations, if any, to the governor and the appropriate interim committee of the legislature by October 1, 2004; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the New Mexico film division and local 480 of the international alliance of theatrical stage employees.

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