Today marks the end of the second 30-day special session and (not surprisingly) Governor Inslee called the start of the third special session immediately. This article from The Everett Herald sheds some light on the state of the negotiations for the 2-year operating budget.

With the end of the fiscal year looming on June 30, the pressure is truly on. If the budget remains unresolved by that date, now less than 10 days away, Washington will experience a partial government shutdown with sweeping effects across the state.

As before, the legislation to renew the Motion Picture Competitiveness Program (MPCP) is considered Necessary to the Implementation of the Budget (NTIB) and thus remains on the negotiating table and in play during this special session.

Call to Action:

Please write, email, or call your legislators and ask them to ensure that the final budget includes an extension of the MPCP. Remind them that if the MPCP is allowed to expire on June 30, Washington will lose the state film incentive, putting the our film industry at a deep disadvantage when bidding for future productions. The expiration of the MPCP would also mean the end of the State Film Office, making Washington the only state in the nation without one. We cannot allow this to happen.

If you’ve spoken with your legislators in the past, please reach out again and renew the dialogue. It is absolutely critical for the Keep Film in WA campaign that the film professionals of Washington State let their advocacy for the MPCP be heard in Olympia.