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Picture that: Bills would offer incentives to have movies made in Michigan

Michigan’s film incentive program was eliminated in 2015, but one state lawmaker wants to create similar incentives to help boost the state’s economy.

LANSING, Mich. — Five years after Michigan did away with incentives to attract filmmakers to the state, an effort is underway to bait the hook once again.

A pair of House bills introduced this week offers financial incentives to filmmakers to shoot movies and television shows in the Great Lakes state.

Numerous other states currently offer incentives to filmmakers. In Georgia, for instance, the film tax credit offers rebates of up to 30%.

The Michigan plan would provide a base tax credit starting at 25%. Filmmakers also could receive tax credits of 30% for hiring Michigan residents. Extra credit would be offered to films that bear a “filmed in Michigan’’ logo.

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With the curtain closing on the current legislative session, chances of the two-bill package passing are questionable. But proponents say the legislation renews discussion of the tax incentives, which were dismantled by former Gov. Rick Snyder in 2015.

In 2008, Gov. Jennifer Granholm launched the film incentives to help Michigan’s lagging economy.

House Bills 6504 and 6505 were introduced by Rep. Robert Wittenberg, a Democrat from Oakland County. There are no co-sponsors. The bills have been referred to the Committee on Tax Policy.

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