Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1467606
sagaftra.org | Spring 2022 | SAGAFTRA 29 F or decades, actors and recording artists in California have een denied the freedom and eiility to ursue a paycheck by outdated and unfair employment contracts. Actors are unilaterally held off the market for extended periods of time by production studios, and recording artists are kept in long-term contracts that are virtually impossible to leave. SAG-AFTRA, in partnership with Music Artists Coalition, Black Music Action Coalition and the alifornia aor ederation, has been pursuing a legislative solution to bring contracts into the modern age through the California Free Artists from Industry Restrictions, or FAIR," Act. In a March 2022 hearing before the California Assembly Committee on aor and mloyment, SAG-AFTRA actor Ginnifer Goodwin presented compelling testimony on behalf of performers who have been adversely impacted by unfair contracts that keep them in a virtual career limbo. Goodwin reminded the Committee that these one-sided contracts favor only studios, networks and streaming services, and are in dire need of eq uitable revision. In April, SAG-AFTRA and its coalition partners agreed to bifurcate the legislation into two separate bills to give all of the staeholders the time and eiility needed to fully educate legislators. The next steps for both bills will be revealed shortly. Please stay tuned. As an organization representing both actors and recording artists, SAG-AFTRA will continue to mobilize resources on both fronts. Recording artists must be released from one-sided agreements that have no expiration, and actors must be liberated from the exclusive holds that keep them from working when they wish to work. The engagement and passion from the creative community has already made it clear that these issues will not go away until there is a resolution. SAG-AFTRA looks forward to continuing to educate the California Assembly and Senate about the urgency in addressing these pressing concerns. California succeeds when the artists and employers in our industries work together, and these two issues are critical to that success. NEWS FROM THE LEGISLATIVE FRONT SAG-AFTRA Pushes for Fairer Contracts for Recording Artists and Actors SAG AF TRA Lo Ta S AG-AFTRA has been a strong supporter of the Performing Artist Ta arity Act, which will modernie the ualified Performing Artist tax credit to ensure creative professionals are not unfairly penalized by an outdated provision in the tax code. Union leaders are encouraged that the legislation was reintroduced with bipartisan leadership in the U.S. Senate by Sens. Mark Warner and Bill Hagerty. The bill was previously introduced in the House by Reps. Judy Chu and Vern Buchanan. The bill has been supported by 19 organizations representing creative professionals from across the industry, including those who work in live theater, at trade shows and exhibitions, and at concerts, as well as the eq uipment and construction shops that suort them Since the legislation was first introduced in June 2019, SAG-AFTRA has held dozens of meetings with congressional staff and submitted testimony to the House Ways and Means Committee regarding the need for tax fairness for these workers. Coming on the heels of the pandemic that halted all production and devastated so many lives, the Performing Artist Tax Parity Act will provide well-earned relief to professionals who need it most. The ualified erforming Artist ta credit was signed into law as part of tax reform in 198 and has since remained unchanged in the tax code. The bipartisan Performing Artist Tax Parity Act updates the thresholds of the PA, which has been capped at an adjusted gross income of 16 ,000 since enactment 35 years ago. The new bill would update the deduction to 100,000 for single filers and , for married artists filing jointly Take action at sagaftra.org/ getinvolved SAG-AFTRA member Ginnifer Goodwin and recording artist Willie "Prophet" Stiggers, co-founder/co-chair of the Black Music Action Coalition, in Sacramento to testify in support of the California FAIR Act.