SACRAMENTO — The California State Senate Judiciary Committee passed Senate Bill 1765, the Fair Market Value Bill. It was introduced by Senator Sheila Kuehl (D-Los Angeles) and coauthored by State Senators Darrell Steinberg, Gloria Romero, Carole Migden, Elaine Alquist and Assembly Members Fiona Ma, Sandré Swanson, and Mike Davis. The bill would end the practice by some major studios of “underselling” television series or movies, thus shortchanging the talent community as well as production workers. The bill can now move to the full Senate for consideration and then to the State Assembly.“Studios should not be allowed to undervalue their products in sweetheart deals with their own parent company and cost creative talent and crewmembers their rightful share in residuals and contributions to health and welfare funds,” said Senator Sheila Kuehl.
“This bill is good public policy because it ends a long-standing Hollywood accounting technique that has cost the talent community, both above and below the line. We thank the Senate Judiciary Committee for their affirmative vote, and we will continue our efforts to help this reasonable bill become law,” said Patric M. Verrone, president of the Writers Guild of America, West.
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