Latest news with #HouseBill874
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Earnings of child actors protected by Hawaii law
Child entertainers' financial futures are now protected by Hawaii law, joining other U.S. states in efforts to support young stars at the start of their careers. Gov. Josh Green signed House Bill 874 into law Wednesday alongside Maia Kealoha, the 8-year-old actor playing 'Lilo ' in Disney's live-action remake of 'Lilo and Stitch ', who joined him at the ceremony. HB 874 requires that parents and guardians of minors who work in Hawaii's entertainment industry create trust funds in the minors' name, to be managed by a third party, until the child turns 18. The law applies only to minors making $5, 000 for an individual project or $20, 000 in a calendar year and requires at least 15 % of the earnings to be deposited directly by their employer. Kealoha was excited to attend the ceremony, representing young stars from Hawaii breaking into the entertainment industry. 'I am so honored to be here and watch Gov. Green to sign this amazing bill for all the keiki, ' she said. 'When they earn money and stuff like that, they can save it for their future.' Green called HB 874 an important step to guard the finances of young entertainers across the islands. 'This protects our young stars, ' Green said. 'We want to ensure their future.' 'We've heard over the years that sometimes the resources that these young superstars make might not get to them, ' Green said. HB 874 was modeled after the so-called Coogan Law, which California passed in 1939 after 1920s-era childhood star Jackie Coogan learned as an adult that his parents had mismanaged his finances. Coogan's experience and the California law that followed led other states to require similar protections for child entertainers in New York, Illinois, Louisiana and New Mexico. HB 874 could become a catalyst for other Hawaii laws protecting minors and their earnings, said Green, calling it 'a model for protecting minors in other areas like sports.' Although there are only a dozen or so child stars in film and TV in Hawaii who the law will affect, Green said that 'a lot of the value of bills like this is to set the standard, ' to create an expectation for how young stars should be taken care of. HB 874 also applies to social media stars and influencers who, Green said, 'could be in the hundreds ' that are now also covered by the law. 'Right now we're seeing a big surge in revenue in that kind of industry (social media ), ' he said. Green hopes to continue hosting production companies, like Disney, in the islands giving young actors the opportunity to work. 'We're hoping to boost our film industry In Hawaii, ' he said. 'We want to augment these opportunities for people like Maia.' Rep. Mike Lee (D, Kailua-Kaneohe Bay ), lead introducer of HB 874 and a freshman legislator, was grateful for the support from the local chapter of the screen and theater actors' union—SAG-AFTRA—and the governor. Lee called the new law 'a win for our keiki. And a win for our keiki is a win for our future.' As a celebratory nod to Kealoha's work in Lilo and Stitch, Green officially designated June 4 as 'Maia Kau 'ionalani Kealoha Day, ' proclaiming her as Junior Governor of the State of Hawaii. 'Today we honor Maia Kealoha, a talented young actress who's brought the spirit of aloha to audiences worldwide, ' he said. 'This is your day, for the whole state of Hawaii.'
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
New Hawaiʻi law protects earnings of child performers
HONOLULU (KHON2) — Governor Josh Green signed a new law June 4 that ensures young entertainers in Hawaiʻi can protect and access their hard-earned money when they reach adulthood. House Bill 874, now Act 173, requires parents or guardians of child performers to set up a trust fund before the child starts working in the entertainment industry. Employers must deposit at least 15% of the child's gross earnings into the account. 8-year-old actress Maia Kealoha, who stars as Lilo in Disney's live-action film 'Lilo and Stitch', joined Governor Green for the bill signing and shared why the new law matters. 'Hi everyone, I'm Maia Kealoha, and I'm so proud to be in the 'Lilo and Stitch' movie,' she said. 'It's a dream come true, and I'm so honored to be here and watch Governor Green sign this amazing bill for all the keiki. When they earn money, they can save it for their future, buy some stuff or maybe a house. Or maybe some wonderful stuff for their kids. I'm so proud to be here, it's such an amazing thing.' Green says the protections set out in the law go beyond the entertainment world. 'While it focuses on the entertainment industry, it could also be a model for protecting minors in other areas like sports or social media, which is a big deal right now,' Green said. The bill's sponsor, Representative Mike Lee, noted that many other states have similar laws in place, and Hawaiʻi is catching up to ensure financial safeguards are in place for working minors. In addition to signing the bill, Green voiced continued support for Hawaiʻi's film industry. He said he plans to veto a separate bill that would end the state's $50 million film tax credit. The law takes effect immediately. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
