ARIZONA FILM INSIDER - JUNE 2025

INSIDE THE ARIZONA LEGISLATURE

Budget Update and Sine Die:

After a long and entirely unique legislative session the Legislature adjourned sine die on Friday, June 27th. To adjourn “sine die” means the legislature has concluded their regular session for the year without setting a date to reconvene. This after passing a $17.6 billion bipartisan budget that the Governor has signed, avoiding a government shutdown before the looming June 30th deadline.

The 16-bill package was approved by the House in a bipartisan vote last night following two earlier budget package vetoes and disagreements over previous proposals. Earlier this week, the Governor vetoed two Republican-only budget proposals pushed by the House. However, the final package reflects a slightly revised version of a bipartisan deal previously negotiated by Gov. Hobbs and leadership in the Senate. The Senate passed that earlier budget version on June 20.

The final budget includes partial funding for some of Governor Hobbs’ priorities, such as child care support and efforts to address veteran homelessness. While the House vote followed a contentious debate over process and immigration-related amendments, the final package passed 40-16 with cross-party backing, easing concerns over a potential government shutdown and sending the package to the Senate for the final bipartisan vote and transmission to the Governor.

New Funding Highlights of the $17.6 billion State of Arizona Budget for 2025- 2026:

JLBC Analysis on Budget Bills

Public Safety- $92 million in new investments

• 5% pay raises for all sworn state law enforcement officers

• 15% pay raises for state firefighters

• $30 million for fire suppression

• $27 million for new vehicles, equipment, and building repairs/ upgrades for Department of Public Safety

• 4% one-time bonus for correctional officers

• $5 million for local border security support for county sheriffs

• $4 million to help address human trafficking

• $3 million in grants to law enforcement for fentanyl interdiction

• $3 million for School Safety Interoperability

Infrastructure- $119 million in new transportation initiatives

• $54 million to finish major projects along State Route 347

• $27 million to begin construction on I-10 widening between Citrus Road and State Route 85

• $27 million for local projects throughout the state

K-12 Education- $281 million in new funding

• $183 million included for school building renewal grants used for school capital repairs

• $66 million for additional district and charter additional assistance for district schools and charter schools to use on equipment and other soft capital

• Fully funds K-12 supplemental for FY 2025 for Empowerment Scholarship Accounts, district schools, and charter schools

Higher Education- $29 million in new funding

• Includes $16 million for in-state scholarships through the Arizona Promise Program

Health & Welfare - $182 million in new funding

• Fully funds the developmental disability program at Department of Economic Security for the next fiscal year

• $5 million for secure behavioral health facilities capital costs

• $4 million for graduate medical education

Water- $12 million in new investments

• $5 million for a Gilbert wells project

• $3 million for a Kingman wells project

• $2 million for Agriculture and Water Innovation Fund Deposit

• $2 million for on-farm irrigation projects

Tax Breaks

• Exempts veterans who are 100% disabled from property taxes

• Increases the business personal property tax exemption from $270,000 to $500,000, reducing administrative burdens on small business owners

• Increases the deduction for adoption expenses from $5000 to $10,000

Senate Leadership Shakeup:

Shortly following the legislature’s adjournment, the Senate Republicans met in a closed caucus and elected to make Senator John Kavanagh Majority Leader, replacing Senator Shamp in the role.

INSIDE FILM TUCSON

Film Tucson facilitated filming on two feature film projects: the first was Choir Practice, a just-wrapped local show written and directed by Tucson resident Sally Shamrell. (We mentioned this project last month but this time we're allowed to say that it starred none other than actor Danny Trejo (Spy Kids, From Dusk Till Dawn).

The second was the feature film Bountiful, directed by and produced by the husband/wife team of Paul and Patty Winter, aiming their cameras at the lead stars Eric Roberts (The Expendables), Rachel Alig (Saint Nick), and Patrick Kilpatrick (Minority Report). Film Tucson was proud to have assisted the filmmakers of both projects.

Earlier this month, Film Tucson connected with various directors, producers and location professionals throughout Hollywood to sell them on filming in Tucson. Each meeting concluded with a gift: local specialty items in an elegant box designed to help keep southern AZ on their minds long into the future. These biannual industry visits are essential to making sure our region stays connected to the professionals who are part of the decision-making process when a project is choosing where to film

The latest issue of Compass Magazine (published quarterly by the Location Managers Guild International a.k.a. LMGI) features a large story on Film Tucson's efforts at bringing dozens of location scouts to southern AZ over the last two years, affording them a chance to see our region in all its glory. Compass Magazine is read by thousands of location professionals around the globe, so we're deeply indebted to everyone at LMGI for helping to publicize our region in its pages.

Film Tucson held a casual presentation for locals which detailed everything our office did for the community in Fiscal Year 2024-25,  and our plans for fiscal year 2025-26. Attendance was great, and the Q&A at the end was spirited and lively.

INSIDE PHOENIX FILM OFFICE

The Phoenix Film Office is collecting data on multimedia production throughout Greater Phoenix. If you received our survey email, please take a few minutes to complete it. If you're a local production company and didn't receive the survey, contact Philip.bradstock@phoenix.gov for the link.

Why This Survey Matters

We conduct this survey every six months to capture projects that filmed locally but didn't work directly with our office. While we track projects that film in Phoenix locations like South Mountain Park, we miss productions working with other cities—like a shoot on Tempe's Mill Avenue Bridge. As the only Association of Film Commissioners International-certified film office in Greater Phoenix, we're committed to gathering regional data.

This data helps us demonstrate our industry's economic impact to stakeholders who may not understand multimedia's benefits and stress why we should be supported.

The Technical Side (For Those Who Want to Know)

Most economic impact reports use the IMPLAN model (IMpact Analysis for PLANning), which relies on NAICS codes (North American Industry Classification System) to categorize occupations. The problem? NAICS codes are too broad for our industry.

The commonly used code "5121 - Motion Picture and Video Industries" includes movie theater workers and distributors alongside some production roles. Meanwhile, actors, camera operators, directors, and producers fall under "711510 - Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers." There really is no way IMPLAN can reflect what we do through NAICS codes hence it is not beneficial (and can be detrimental).

Your survey responses let us focus specifically on production—where most of us actually work—rather than relying on these imprecise industry categories. We don’t use codes or multipliers with our reports, just the facts. Please peruse all of our previous reports and we hope you will provide your data as well to help complete the picture!

INSIDE INDUSTRY TIDBITS

From Vulture: Hollywood Has Left L.A.