House delegates seek to extend and raise cap on Virginia’s film production tax credits

State Del. Charniele L. Herring has introduced legislation that would extend and expand tax credits for film productions based in Virginia, according to the Virginia State House.

The proposal, designated HB400, was introduced Jan. 14, 2026, for the 2026 regular session. It is officially described as: “Motion picture production; increases aggregate cap on tax credit, extends sunset.”

Below is an overview, based on the bill’s text, with details clarified for reader understanding.

Essentially, the legislation would extend Virginia’s refundable motion picture production tax credit to include taxable years starting before Jan. 1, 2031, while raising the annual credit cap to $8.5 million starting in fiscal 2026. The program would continue to base credits on in-state spending, offering higher percentages for productions in economically distressed regions and for hiring Virginia residents, including new actors and crew. Existing criteria and requirements, such as eligibility, agreements and reporting with the Virginia Tourism Authority, and public reporting of total credit data, would remain unchanged.

The bill lists Rep. Charniele L. Herring (Democrat-4th District), Rep. Betsy B. Carr (Democrat-78th District) and Rep. Rae Cousins (Democrat-79th District) as sponsors.

So far this session, Herring has introduced 11 additional bills.

Herring earned a bachelor’s degree from George Mason University in 1993 and a juris doctor from Catholic University Columbus School of Law in 1997.

Herring, a member of the Democratic Party, was elected to Virginia’s 4th House district in 2024, taking over from William Wampler III.

Virginia’s law-making process starts when a bill is filed in the House of Delegates or Senate. The bill is first assigned to committees for review, where lawmakers may debate and amend the text. Committee approval sends the bill to the chamber floor for debate and a vote; passage requires both the House and Senate to approve the measure before it goes to the governor, who can sign, veto, or allow it to become law without a signature. The Virginia General Assembly holds its regular session every year starting the second Monday in January. Hundreds of bills are considered each session, but only a fraction become law.