Latest news with #SenateBill22
Axios
26-06-2025
- Business
- Axios
Expanded film incentives could grow local industry
San Antonio's film community is sizing up its future after Gov. Greg Abbott signed legislation expanding the state's tax incentives program for movies and TV shows. Why it matters: Senate Bill 22 opens the door for Texas — including San Antonio — to attract more major film and TV productions and create more job opportunities for local creatives. Catch up quick: The law gives consistent funding for the first time to the Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Program, to the tune of $300 million every two years. The total investment is projected to reach $1.5 billion through 2035. For every $1 spent on incentives, Texas sees about $4.69 in economic return, according to the state's Economic Development and Tourism office. Zoom in: San Antonio's Supplemental Film Incentive, funded through hotel occupancy taxes, offers up to a 7.5% rebate on eligible spending. Combined with state incentives, productions could receive up to 38.5% in total rebates, making it one of the most competitive packages in the state, according to Krystal Jones, director of the city's Arts and Culture Department. "San Antonio is poised for a major leap forward," she said in a statement. What they're saying: Paul Ardoin, director of the University of Texas at San Antonio's film and media program, says the bill's long-term scope could help build a stronger industry footprint in San Antonio and lead to more Texas stories being told. He says the local talent pipeline is expanding, with UTSA's Film/Media program entering its fourth year with more than 300 majors. "We're seeing increasing numbers of young people becoming fluent in digital media storytelling," Ardoin tells Axios. The fine print: Productions that hire veterans for at least 5% of their crew can qualify for an additional 2.5% incentive — an edge that could benefit Military City USA.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Michigan Senate Committee clears renters rights bills
Michigan Capitol | Susan J. Demas Bills mandating 48-hour response times for landlords to address hazardous conditions in rental properties and requirements for 90-day notice for rent increases were voted through a Michigan legislative committee Tuesday. Lawmakers on the Senate Housing and Human Services Committee heard testimony earlier this month from tenants, advocacy groups and property owner stakeholders on the Tenant Empowerment Package, which aims to empower those residing in the state's more than one million renter-occupied units. Property owners would be required to respond within 48 hours to notice from renters that there is a need for safety-related repairs under Senate Bills 19 and 20. If the property owner doesn't respond to being notified of the defective condition on the rental property premises, the renter could withhold rent or get the repair started themselves and deduct the cost of the repair from their rent. When it comes towards the end of a person's lease, if a landlord plans on increasing the rent, that landlord would have to provide current leasees a 90-day notice of the increase under Senate Bill 21. Senate Bills 19 through 20 passed a committee vote along party lines without support from Republican members Tuesday. Senate Bill 22, which would permit landlords to return security deposits electronically, passed through the committee unanimously. All four bills will now move to the Senate floor for a vote by the chamber. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Senate panel advances 'right to repair' bills for property renters in Michigan
Lawmakers in the Michigan Senate are eyeing a change to the state's housing laws, including giving renters in the state more power to take repairing faulty appliances and poor conditions at leased properties into their own hands. Senate Bills 19 and 20, introduced by Sen. Sarah Anthony, D-Lansing, would require landlords to commence repairs on defective appliances and hazardous conditions under set timelines. If the property lessor or licensors don't make the repairs in the required time under the proposal, renters would be able to withhold rent until the repairs are made or commence repairs themselves and deduct the costs from their rent payments. The bills are part of a four-bill package, called the 'Tenant Empowerment Package' by Anthony, approved by the Senate Housing and Human Services Committee on June 10. The measures now move to the full Senate floor for a potential vote. Michigan faces a rising crisis of housing access and affordability, Anthony said, and the goal of the legislation is to ensure that housing that is available to tenants remains safe. 'Whether you live in a rural township (or) a city neighborhood, families across Michigan are struggling to find and keep safe, affordable, quality places to live,' Anthony said during a June 3 committee hearing on the legislation. Under the legislation, landlords would have 48 hours after being notified to commence repairs on any defective condition considered hazardous to the life or the health and safety of a tenant, 72 hours to address mold or pests found in a unit and 30 days for repairs in other cases. If repairs aren't made under the timelines, renters would be able to deposit their rent into an escrow account and withhold it from a landlord until repairs are made. Under current state law, provisions already exist for renters to place rent payments in escrow but the Tenant Empowerment Package would create clear timelines for repairs to begin, whereas current law states landlords have to make repairs in a "reasonable" time. Should a tenant decide to take repairs into his or her own hands, he or she would be required to obtain at least three free written cost estimates from a licensed contractor for the fix, provide the landlord with the estimates and give the landlord 24 hours to start repairs before doing it themselves. Elsewhere in the legislative package, Senate Bill 21 would set a 90-day notice requirement for landlords to inform tenants their annual rent would increase if their lease was renewed, an increase on the current 30-day notice requirement. Senate Bill 22 would allow security deposits to be able to be returned through electronic transfer. Two groups representing rental property owners, the Rental Property Owners Association (RPOA) of Michigan and Michigan Realtors, indicated opposition to Senate Bills 19-21. Anthony and other Senate Democrats previously introduced a version of the Tenant Empowerment Package last year, as well, although certain parts of the bills have been tweaked, including giving landlords slightly more time to start repair work. 'While these bills aim to bring greater balance and accountability to the housing system, they were crafted with a clear understanding of the realities landlords face,' Anthony said June 3. Erika Farley, RPOA executive director, said the organization appreciates the changes under the current version of the bills. Still, Farley said the repair timelines set under the bills may not be achievable for all landlords, particularly considering availability of contractors or tradesmen. "We fully support well-taken care of, healthy, safe housing," Farley said in a June 10 interview. "When we look at this legislation and other legislation that has to do with rental housing, we also have to talk about are we taking a hatchet where there needs to be a scalpel? Are we making sweeping, broad brushstrokes for everyone where there are different scenarios." Right to repair laws exist beyond housing — the measures allow owners of electronics, agricultural equipment and even some automobiles to repair their products without needing to go back to the original manufacturer. In 2023, right to repair legislation was considered in 33 states, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. In order to become law, the bills would have to pass both the Senate and House of Representatives and be signed into law by the governor. A version of Senate Bill 22 passed the Senate last year, but was not taken up in the House before the end of the session. Contact Arpan Lobo: alobo@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Right to repair bills for renters advance Michigan Senate panel
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Missouri Supreme Court Halts Abortion Access, Defying Will Of The Voters
The Missouri Supreme Court has halted abortion access in the state for now, upending a constitutional amendment that voters put in place last year and delivering a 'devastating' setback for patients in need of immediate abortion care, reproductive rights advocates say. The state's highest court ruled Tuesday that a district judge must vacate her two recent rulings issuing preliminary injunctions protecting abortion rights, which were reinstated by voters last November following a 2022 ban in the wake of the fall of Roe v. Wade. 'This latest attack by the Missouri Supreme Court is unconstitutional, unconscionable, and downright dirty politics,' Mini Timmaraju, the president of Reproductive Freedom for All, said in reacting to the ruling. 'It is devastating for people across the country to know that even if they organize, vote, and pass measures to protect their reproductive care, extreme GOP actors will still try to take away our constitutional rights.' The Missouri Supreme Court's ruling hinges on its conclusion that District Judge Jerri Zhang used the wrong standard to make her decisions. When she determined in December that the state's near-total abortion ban was unenforceable, then in February struck down licensing requirements and regulations for abortion clinics, calling them 'unnecessary' and 'discriminatory,' she concluded that abortion rights advocates were likely to prevail in their larger, ongoing battle with the state over abortion access. The Missouri Supreme Court ruled this week that Zhang should have first considered whether allowing abortions to continue would cause any harms. The decision gives Zhang the chance to revisit the cases and reissue her rulings. But for now, patients in need of abortions in Missouri will have to leave the state for care. 'This decision puts our state back under a de facto abortion ban and is devastating for Missourians and the providers they trust with their personal health care decisions,' Emily Wales and Margot Riphagen, the presidents of Planned Parenthood's Great Plains and Great Rivers branches, respectively, said in a joint statement. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey celebrated the ruling, calling it a 'win for women and children.' Bailey was able to challenge Zhang's rulings because of the state's newly passed Senate Bill 22, the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center noted in a press release last week. The legislation allows the Missouri attorney general to appeal preliminary injunctions that block his office from enforcing an existing law. Tuesday's ruling is the latest development in Missouri's ongoing legal battle over abortion. In November, it became the first state where voters used a ballot measure to overturn an existing, sweeping abortion ban ― triggering legal challenges from the state's Republican-controlled government. And earlier this month, state Republicans passed a referendum to put abortion back on the ballot. The proposed amendment will likely appear before voters in November 2026, though it's possible Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe could call for a special election sooner. RFK Jr. Says He's Exploring A Crackdown On This Perfectly Safe Medication 2 Of Trump's Court Picks Argued Abortion Pill 'Starves The Baby To Death' In Womb Georgia Abortion Law Forces Brain-Dead Woman To Stay On Life Support For Months
Axios
28-05-2025
- Business
- Axios
Lawmakers sweeten the deal for Texas-based film and TV productions
Texas lawmakers have approved a major film incentive bill, signaling a long-term effort to make the state more competitive for projects. Why it matters: Senate Bill 22, filed by Houston Republican Sen. Joan Huffman, would inject $1.5 billion into a new Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Fund every two years through 2035 — the biggest support for film incentives in the state yet. Backed by celebs, the bill is a major win for production advocates who say Texas has lost out for too long. Eligible expenses would include wages for Texas workers, meals from local restaurants, and airfare on Texas-based airlines — all of which could be reimbursed through the Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Program. Driving the news: The Texas House approved the Senate-passed bill over the weekend and it will likely be sent to Gov. Greg Abbott, who is expected to sign it, per the Fort Worth Report. State of play: The proposal originally sought $500 million every two years, but the figure dropped to $300 million following committee discussions. Rep. Todd Hunter (R-Corpus Christi), who sponsored the bill in the House, said he'll keep pushing for the higher amount in future budget cycles, per the Fort Worth Report. Yes, but: Despite the drop, the bill would still mark the Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Program's biggest upgrade yet if signed by Abbott. The consistent funding would support long-term planning and extended productions, the nonprofit Media for Texas tells Axios. Flashback: Since launching in 2007, Texas' film incentive program has seen inconsistent funding. In 2023, lawmakers didn't overhaul the program but approved a then-record $200 million for the 2024–2025 budget — a major jump from the previous $45 million. Zoom in: Houston saw more than $81 million in film-related economic impact in 2024 — more than double the previous year — with projects like Netflix's "Mo" in Alief and Paramount's "1923" filming in the region, per Houston First. What they're saying: "This bill will enable Texans to take a leading place in this industry," Chase Musslewhite, co-founder of Media for Texas, tells Axios. "And instead of this fear of Hollywood coming to Texas, we should look at the opportunity for Texas to be a leader in this industry and spread light in places where industry may not be working. So I think it's just a huge, huge, huge opportunity for Texas."
