Story perspectives

Newsom Signs AB 2319 Creating $10M Post-Production Tax Credit

By Drooid · Sep 20, 2026, 2:30 AM UTC · How we work

Center

Limited $10M Funding

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 2319, a standalone post-production tax credit, on September 19, 2026, at the Television Academy in North Hollywood.
The signing also enacted Senate Bill 186, freeing independent productions from credit caps and allowing 95% credit monetization over two years.
The credit applies to editing, sound, music, effects and finishing without a California filming requirement.
The program begins with $10 million, far less than the $100 million originally sought.

Left

Post-Production Tax Cut

Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 2319, establishing a standalone post-production tax credit, September 19, 2026, at the Television Academy in North Hollywood.
The legislation is framed as a measure to protect and restore jobs for California’s post-production workers, editors and visual-effects artists.
Post-production firms receive a 35%-50% tax reduction on expenses performed in California.
Funding is capped at $10 million, far below the $100 million requested by Assemblymember Nick Schultz (D-Burbank).

Blindspot

Industry leaders hailed the new post-production tax credit as a historic first step, saying the legislation is intended to protect and restore jobs for California’s editors, visual-effects artists and other post-production workers.
Within this story's sources, this angle appears mainly in Left-leaning coverage and receives less attention in Center-leaning coverage.

History

Historical Context

In 2000 Governor Gray Davis launched the Film California First program, which the California Film Commission (founded 1985) says spurred roughly $2 billion in state-based filming and a 12% boost in post-production jobs by 2003. Building on that, Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2319 on September 19 2026, offering a 35-50% credit to editors but limiting funding to $10 million, prompting the Commission to request supplemental budget support for 2027.

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Limited $10M Funding

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 2319, a standalone post-production tax credit, on September 19, 2026, at the Television Academy in North Hollywood.
The signing also enacted Senate Bill 186, freeing independent productions from credit caps and allowing 95% credit monetization over two years.
The credit applies to editing, sound, music, effects and finishing without a California filming requirement.
The program begins with $10 million, far less than the $100 million originally sought.

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