SB 1641 Hawaii Senate · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO THE STATE OF HAWAII FILM COMMISSION.

Summary

Establishes the Hawaii Film Authority within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism and transfers the rights, powers, functions, and duties of the Hawaii Film Office to the Authority. Establishes the Hawaii Film Authority Board within the Hawaii Film Authority. Establishes the Film Industry and Development Special Fund. Renames the Hawaii Film and Creative Industries Development Special Fund as the Hawaii Creative Industries Development Special Fund and excludes media and film from the definition of creative industries. Allows the Creative Industries Development Special Fund to be used for the support and development of facilities and other initiatives to grow the State's creative industries. Requires annual reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

House Passage

Apr 2025

Governor

Introduced Jan 23, 2025 Last action Apr 10, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB1641_SD1 → SB1641_SD2 · 8 edits

MODERATE

This bill transforms the Hawaii State Film Office into the State of Hawaii Film Commission, expanding its authority from limited administrative duties to broader powers including managing film studios, providing grants, and developing workforce training. The new commission includes a 12-member board with specific expertise requirements and establishes a special fund to support film industry growth, tax incentives, and infrastructure. The effective date is set for July 1, 2050, which appears to be a placeholder or error in the draft.

Scope change

The bill significantly expands the scope from a limited film office to a full film commission with broader powers over film production, workforce development, and cultural productions including indigenous storytelling initiatives.

SCOPE

Changed entity name from 'Hawaii state film office' to 'State of Hawaii film commission' with expanded statutory authority

REQUIREMENT

Added requirement for commission to submit annual reports detailing strategic objectives, workforce initiatives, tax incentive impacts, and revenue generated

Established a 12-member board with specific expertise requirements including indigenous storytelling, global film production experience, and labor workforce representation

Added priority for developing facilities that expand local and cultural film productions and indigenous storytelling

FISCAL

Created Film Industry Development Special Fund with revenue sources including tax credit processing fees and facility management revenues

Appropriated funds for one executive director and two administrative positions exempt from civil service requirements

DEFINITION

Updated definitions to include 'creative industries' while explicitly excluding film from that definition

TIMELINE

Set effective date to July 1, 2050 (likely placeholder date requiring correction)

SB1641_HD1 → SB1641_HD2 · 7 edits

MODERATE

This bill fundamentally changes Hawaii's film industry structure by replacing the 'Hawaii Film Authority' with a new 'Hawaii Film Commission' and transferring all functions from the Hawaii Film Office to this new authority. The bill also restructures funding mechanisms by creating a separate 'Hawaii Film Industry Development Special Fund' and renaming the existing 'Hawaii Film and Creative Industries Development Special Fund' to the 'Hawaii Creative Industries Development Special Fund' while excluding film and media from the creative industries definition. Additionally, the bill expands the board composition to include representatives from labor unions, film industry professionals, and county film offices, and establishes new requirements for annual reporting to the legislature.

Scope change

The bill changes the organizational structure from a 'Hawaii Film Authority' to a 'Hawaii Film Commission' and transfers all functions from the Hawaii Film Office to the new authority. The scope of the Creative Industries fund is narrowed by explicitly excluding film and media from the definition of creative industries.

SCOPE

Changed the entity name from 'Hawaii Film Authority' to 'Hawaii Film Commission' and transferred all functions from the Hawaii Film Office to the new authority.

REQUIREMENT

Added new requirements for the authority to submit annual reports to the legislature detailing progress on strategic objectives, workforce initiatives, tax incentive impacts, and revenue generated by film production.

Expanded the board composition to include representatives from labor unions, county film offices, and film industry professionals, with specific term limits and appointment processes.

DEFINITION

Modified the definition of 'creative industries' to explicitly exclude film and media, separating film industry support from creative industries support.

FISCAL

Renamed the 'Hawaii Film and Creative Industries Development Special Fund' to 'Hawaii Creative Industries Development Special Fund' and created a separate 'Hawaii Film Industry Development Special Fund' for film-specific activities.

Added provisions for appropriations to establish and operate the Hawaii Film Authority, including funding for a full-time executive director and administrative positions exempt from civil service.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date from July 1, 2023 (implied in original) to July 1, 3000, indicating this is a placeholder or future-dated bill.

SB1641 → SB1641_HD1 · 7 edits

MODERATE

The bill fundamentally restructures Hawaii's film commission into a new Hawaii Film Authority with expanded powers to invest in and manage film studios, while simultaneously creating a separate Creative Industries Development Special Fund that explicitly excludes film and media from its scope. The original Film Commission is being replaced with a new Authority that has broader investment capabilities and a more complex board composition including labor union and industry representatives.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope from a film-focused commission to include broader creative industries (excluding film and media from the creative industries fund definition), and creates a new entity with investment and co-production powers rather than just advisory functions.

SCOPE

Created a new Hawaii Film Authority with powers to invest in film projects, receive returns from investments, and serve as co-producer or assistant producer in film projects.

Established a separate Creative Industries Development Special Fund that explicitly excludes film and media from its definition, allowing it to support other creative sectors.

DEFINITION

Changed the definition of 'creative industries' to explicitly exclude film, separating it from the broader creative industries fund.

REQUIREMENT

Added new board members including representatives from labor unions representing film industry workers and specific industry organizations like the Motion Picture Association and Hawaii International Film Festival.

Added requirement for the Authority to submit annual reports detailing progress on strategic objectives, workforce initiatives, tax incentive impacts, and revenue generated by film production.

FISCAL

Modified the special fund structure to create two separate funds: one for film industry development and another for broader creative industries development.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date from July 1, 2025 to July 1, 3000, likely indicating a placeholder or error in the final version.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Apr 10, 2025

Amended

Senate disagrees with House amendments.

upper

Apr 10, 2025

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 700).

upper

Apr 8, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Iwamoto voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Muraoka voting no (1) and Representative(s) Cochran, Marten excused (2). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Mar 28, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 14 Ayes: Representative(s) Yamashita, Takenouchi, Grandinetti, Holt, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lamosao, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Templo, Alcos, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Hussey, Ward.

lower

Mar 21, 2025

Committee

Reported from ECD (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1495) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.

lower

Mar 19, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on ECD recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Ilagan, Hussey, Holt, Tam, Templo, Todd, Matsumoto; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.

lower

Mar 6, 2025

Committee

Referred to ECD, FIN, referral sheet 19

lower

Mar 4, 2025

Introduced

Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 385) in amended form (SD 2).

lower

Mar 4, 2025

Upper · Passed

Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 22; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 2 (Senator(s) Awa, DeCorte). Excused, 1 (Senator(s) Lee, C.). Transmitted to House.

upper

Feb 19, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WAM were as follows: 13 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, Aquino, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Wakai; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Fevella ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Feb 14, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 02-19-25 10:02AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.

upper

Feb 13, 2025

Committee

Reported from EDT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 479) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Feb 11, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on EDT recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EDT were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) DeCoite, Wakai, Kim, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fukunaga.

upper

Feb 3, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on EDT has scheduled a public hearing on 02-06-25 1:15PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 27, 2025

Committee

Referred to EDT, WAM.

upper

Jan 23, 2025

Introduced

Introduced.

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors