An extension of California’s $100 million annual film and television tax credit program leaped through another legislative hurdle today. With a 32-3 vote in Sacramento, the state Senate approved extending the program two more years. The measure, sponsored by Senator Ron Calderon, now heads over to the Assembly for a vote there. “As a coalition of unions, guilds and associations representing hundreds of thousands of men and women whose livelihoods depend on the strength of the California entertainment industry, we applaud the passage of SB 1167 by the California State Senate,” said SAG-AFTRA, the Teamsters, IATSE, the Director’s Guild and others in a joint statement after the vote Tuesday.  The state Assembly passed a version of the extension legislation in a 70-4 vote on August 16. Eventually, the two bodies will have to work out a joint version of the extension. The current tax credit is set to end in 2015 if the latest proposed extension does not become law. The tax credit program was put in place in 2009 to help halt the exodus of production from California to other states and to Canadian provinces that offer strong incentives to TV shows and feature films. In early June, 28 projects were picked by lottery to be allocated this year’s $100 million. Among those projects that got the lucky tickets were the relocating television series Teen Wolf, as well as Pretty Little Liars and Justified.

Deadline's Dominic Patten - tip him here.