Michigan Legislature Poised To End Movie Incentives Program

LANSING (AP) - The Michigan Legislature is close to ending an incentives program used to entice the production of movies, TV shows and video games in the state.

The Senate will vote Thursday to prohibit the state from issuing incentives. The House is expected to send the bill to Gov. Rick Snyder later Thursday before lawmakers scale back voting over the summer.

Republican leadership says the intent is to wind down the incentives but still see through existing commitments. The bill would no longer explicitly shut down the 36-year-old Michigan Film Office, which was created long before the incentives program launched in 2008.

Michigan reimburses 25 percent of studios' qualified production expenses.

Critics say spending millions of taxpayer dollars on moviemaking is unjustified. Supporters say the incentives have had a positive economic impact.