Advocacy in Action: June Update

We know that when we have a strong ecosystem for production here in Oregon, it's good for everyone. If you've rented high-quality equipment, booked stage space, hired crew, been mentored, found a job, leaned on infrastructure, or received funding to support your work—there's a good chance that was available to you due to the robust industry here in Oregon.

Your advocacy makes a difference! OMPA just engaged in the busiest advocacy season in our history, and we're happy to report that we're starting to see it pay off! #OregonCreatesTogether

Just yesterday (June 2), HB3010 passed out of the Senate and is on its way to becoming a law. We did it! And talk about a group effort—this community participated in dozens of meetings with legislators, sent letters of testimony, provided verbal testimony, shared their #OregonCreates stories, helped us identify the lobbying team to get the job done and, not least of which, helped shape the content of the bill. Thank you to our Incentives Sub-Committee: Dawn Jones Redstone, Ashley Mellinger, Annie Tonsiengson, and Sarah Whelden; our lobbying team Strategies360, our Advocacy Coordinator Christian Berk, Tim Williams at Oregon Film, and everyone that participated in the process. This is how it works!

The bill requires that incentivized projects have a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policy, make a good-faith effort to hire according to that policy, provide data around their hiring, and establish a process for addressing discrimination and harassment. This is the first step in creating more diverse and inclusive productions! Please thank the bills’ sponsors for their leadership: Reps. Barbara Smith Warner (Chief Sponsor), Alonso Leon, Dexter, Kotek, Kropf, Nathanson, Nosse, Prusak, Ruiz, Sanchez, and Senators Frederick, Lieber, and Riley.

Not only was the Portland Film Office funded in full this year—after nearly being cut from the budget last year—but Travel Portland also contributed another $150,000 to the office and its efforts to attract and support local production. A year's worth of meetings with members of this community, community partners, and the City paid off! Many thanks to all who participated in this process including Tim Williams (Oregon Film); Jeff Hawthorne, Giyen Kim and Brian Lord (City of Portland); Meara McLaughlin (MusicPortland) and industry members (you know who you are!).

Share your gratitude with the City Commissioner's by emailing them a note. You can share your thanks, your role/story, how the investment will pay off, and your desire for ongoing partnership with the City. Want to be involved in the next iteration of this stakeholder group? Reach out to lisa@ompa.org. Your voice matters!

Tomorrow state legislators will hear testimony on two bills: SB43, extending our industry’s tax incentive and labor rebate programs for another 6 years; and HB3244, expanding the incentive fund from $14 million to $20 million annually. Send in testimony and share your story. The more voices, the stronger our appeal! It’s easy, it’s effective, it’s something you can do.

1. Use our testimony template and instructions to submit your written support by 3:15pm on Friday, June 4 (Saturday, June 5 by 3:15pm at latest).
2. Share your #OregonCreates story with a selfie holding a sign related to your role in the industry. Everybody's doing it!

The Expo Center is considering how its buildings will be used in the future and a film studio (or even a film and music campus) is on the list of considerations. We're currently lobbying for funding for a feasibility study for when Metro's RFI process begins and we look forward to welcoming the community to those conversations. Stay tuned!

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Want to have your voice heard in these policy conversations? Please join our Government Affairs committee by emailing governmentaffairs@ompa.org to learn more.