HB 1498 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO TAXATION.

Summary
Increases the motion picture, digital media, and film production income tax credit for qualified productions that utilize qualified production facilities located within the State. Changes the cap amount and aggregate cap amount of the motion picture, digital media, and film production income tax credit to unspecified amounts. Imposes the manufacturing GET rate on motion picture, digital media, and film productions and repeals the provision in the definition of "qualified production costs" that applied the term to mean costs incurred that are subject to the highest GET rate. Exempts from the GET amounts received by a motion picture project employer from a client equal to amounts that are disbursed by the motion picture project employer for employee wages, salaries, payroll taxes, insurance premiums, and employment benefits and payments to loan-out companies. (HD1)
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 23, 2025 Last action Dec 8, 2025
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What changed between versions

HB1498 HB1498_HD1 · 4 edits
MODERATE
This bill updates Hawaii's film and media tax incentives by clarifying that production counts as manufacturing for tax purposes, which lowers the tax rate applied to production costs. It also expands tax exemptions to cover payments made to loan-out companies and adjusts the effective date of these changes to January 1, 2026.
Scope change
The bill broadens the scope of tax exemptions to include payments to loan-out companies and clarifies the tax treatment of production activities across the state.
DEFINITION

Production is now explicitly defined as a form of manufacturing, changing the General Excise Tax rate applied to production costs from 4% to 0.5%.

The requirement that 'qualified production costs' must be subject to the highest tax rate was removed, as the definition now relies on the new manufacturing classification.

ELIGIBILITY

Tax exemptions for motion picture project employers now include reimbursements for payments made to loan-out companies, in addition to employee wages and benefits.

TIMELINE

The effective date for the new tax provisions and exemptions was changed from July 1, 2025, to January 1, 2026.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
7
Key actions
1
Committee
3
Feb 14, 2025
Committee
Reported from ECD (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 653) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
lower
Feb 12, 2025
Lower · Passed
The committee on ECD recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Ilagan, Hussey, Holt, Tam, Templo; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Todd, Matsumoto.
lower
Jan 27, 2025
Committee
Referred to ECD, FIN, referral sheet 4
lower
Jan 23, 2025
Introduced
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Rachele Lamosao
Rachele Lamosao
DDemocratic
HI
19