Film Tax Credit Lawsuit On Hold For Now

Officials with the Louisiana Film Entertainment Association have decided to not pursue a lawsuit against the state in regards to the recent changes in film tax credits. Their reasoning appears to be two fold.

First, the way that Governor Jindal is interpreting the law is not nearly as detrimental to the film industry as it could be. Second, the association feels it might be simpler and more cost efficient to deal with the incoming governor as opposed to a governor on the way out the door.

Will French is President of LFEA. He spoke to the Louisiana Radio Network and offered these comments on his groups position regarding the decision not to pursue legal action at this time.

They could've interpreted it in the strictest form, in the most unconstitutional way but they're not doing that.

He went on to say that spending time and money on a legal battle might not be in the best interest of the film industry as a whole in the state. At least at this time.

Louisiana is still open for business, that it's still one of the best places in the country to be making a film, that there actually are new opportunities under this new law.

There had been reports that some film and TV producers were already making plans to either pull projects from the state or not book new ventures in the state because of the recent legislation. Those stories appear to have been misleading at the least.

As far as the next step for Louisiana's film industry, that will lie in the hands of the new governor, who ever that might be.

What we intend to do is to put together a detailed plan for how this law should be fixed, take it to the candidates for governor, get them to weigh in and endorse it.

Several of the candidates have already weighed in on that issue. Candidate David Vitter suggested the legislature made a mistake, as did Jay Dardenne. Scott Angelle said he believed the issue needed to be further examined and John Bel Edwards was in favor of the cap. You can read more about the candidate's positions in a story from the Louisiana Radio Network that was published on  July 11, 2015.