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The success of movies such as "The Descendants" and "Pirates of the Caribbean" and TV series "Lost" and "Hawaii Five-0" has state lawmakers looking at ways to draw more productions to Hawaii.
The goal is to find the right combination of incentives and support to grow what some lawmakers hope can become a billion-dollar industry in Hawaii.
"I don’t think we’re doing enough," said state Sen. Pohai Ryan (D, Lanikai-Waimanalo). "I think it’s a major industry. I think it could be bigger than tourism."
Ryan spoke at a Senate Ways and Means Committee hearing Monday, where members discussed a multifaceted bill intended to attract more film, television and digital media productions to Hawaii.
A significant difference between Senate Bill 2111 and existing motion picture tax credits is a new emphasis on job creation.
Five other states require production companies to hire a minimum percentage of local residents in order to qualify for tax breaks.
However, state Sen. Carol Fukunaga (D, Lower Makiki-Punchbowl), chairwoman of the Economic Development and Tourism Committee, suggested following the lead of 15 other states by using supplemental tax credits to encourage productions to hire local production staff.
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