Fabián Basabe’s film license plate bill lands role in House tag package

A film-themed license plate proposal just landed a cameo in a House specialty license plate bill nearing a floor vote.

This week, the House Ways and Means Committee added language from legislation (HB 1135) by Miami Beach Republican Rep. Fabián Basabe to a broader specialty license plate measure (HB 639) that now awaits consideration by the full House.

Under the new language, the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) would create a “Florida Film Legacy” specialty license plate, with proceeds going to Feature Florida Partnerships, a nonprofit that supports the state’s film and television production infrastructure. The plate would display “Florida” at the top and “Film Legacy” at the bottom, with its design developed in consultation with the nonprofit.

Beginning in 2027, Feature Florida Partnerships would be required to submit annual financial reports to the state detailing how the proceeds are used.

Basabe framed the proposal as a way to support Florida’s film and creative industries while gauging public interest in reviving broader supportive policies like the state’s previous incentive program for movie and TV productions.

“This is a breakthrough moment for Florida. For years, we have watched productions leave and opportunity fade. Today, we flip the script,” he said in a statement.

“The Florida Film Legacy license plate is a bold, grassroots movement where Floridians themselves become the incentive, directly fueling the return of a dynamic industry that creates high-paying jobs, attracts global investment, and puts our beaches, skylines, and talent back on screens around the world.”

Among other things, HB 639 by Macclenny Republican Rep. Chuck Brannan would require organizations that sponsor specialty license plates to submit five-year financial projections outlining anticipated revenue and planned expenditures from plate sales.

Organizations would have to provide that information within 60 days of a plate’s approval or risk losing authorization.

The bill would also require FLHSMV to submit an annual report to the Governor and legislative leaders summarizing those projections and identifying organizations whose revenues have been withheld for noncompliance.

Further, HB 639 would revise rules for how annual use fees from specialty license plates may be distributed, restricting them for commercial purposes and generally requiring that funds be spent within the Sunshine State.

The bill also authorizes several new specialty license plates, including ones for the Miami Northwestern Alumni Association, Christopher Columbus High School, Ultimate Fighting Championship, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Military Academy and Miami Dade College.

As Florida Politics first reported in early January, Basabe’s license plate proposal comes nearly a decade after Florida lawmakers allowed a statewide film and TV production incentive program to expire amid funding disputes. From 2010 to 2016, the Legislature allocated $296 million to provide tax credits to film studios and other production companies that shot primarily in Florida.

That program coincided with a surge in Florida-based productions, including USA Network’s “Burn Notice,” HBO’s “Ballers” and Netflix’s “Bloodline.” Combined, they reached more than 1.5 billion viewers worldwide — exposure the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau estimated was equal to $405 million in advertising value.

VISIT FLORIDA reported that in 2012, 23% of tourists said shows and movies shot in the Sunshine State influenced their travel plans. By 2016, however, lawmakers declined to replenish the incentive program, and productions began leaving the state.

Many relocated to neighboring states with active and well-funded incentive programs. Today, Florida is the only state in the Southeast without a statewide film incentive.

In the four years that followed the death of Florida’s incentive program, Florida lost more than 70 major film and TV projects that would have spent $1.3 billion statewide, created 110,000 cast and crew jobs, and booked more than 220,000 hotel room nights, a 2020 resolution by former Miami-Dade Commissioner Rebeca Sosa said.

Some local governments have attempted to fill the void left by the state. In 2017, the Miami-Dade Commission approved a measure by then-Commissioner Sally Heyman establishing a local tax rebate program for entertainment productions. The initiative attracted projects including “Red Table Talk: The Estefans” and “Critical Thinking,” a feature film about Miami Jackson High School’s championship chess team directed by John Leguizamo.

In December 2023, Miami-Dade expanded those efforts by establishing a high-impact film fund, backed by Commissioner René García, designed to provide between $5 million and $10 million annually in rebates for large-scale film and television productions shot locally.

Meanwhile, multiple lawmakers — including Sarasota Republican Sen. Joe Gruters, Fort Pierce Republican Rep. Dana Trabulsy and North Miami Democratic Rep. Dotie Joseph — have unsuccessfully pushed in recent years to revive a statewide incentive program.

President Donald Trump has also shown interest in the issue. Last year, he briefly floated a 100% tariff on foreign-made films before backing away from the idea amid widespread criticism. He has also expressed support for a proposed federal framework, backed by major industry figures like Sylvester Stallone and Jon Voight, that would offer federal tax breaks to domestically shot productions. That advocacy led last year to bipartisan legislation that has yet to pass.