A proposal to pare back the state's film tax credit wound up on the cutting room floor when lawmakers approved a final version of the state budget.
The tax break, which has long generated controversy, is equal to 25 percent of a production's in-state payroll and production costs.
The Senate version of the budget called for barring film companies from claiming salaries worth $1 million or more as an eligible expense, and increasing the amount of time or money that must be spent in Massachusetts. The amendment was dropped from a compromise budget hammered out last week by House and Senate negotiators.
Critics of the film tax credit argue it flows mostly to out-of-state production companies and highly-paid actors.
Supporters counter that moviemaking provides a strong boost to the local economy.
