VirginiaMotion picture theaters; definitions, establishes requirements for open captioning.
What it does
Open captioning at motion picture theaters. Establishes requirements for open captioning for motion picture theaters. The bill requires all motion picture theater companies, excluding outdoor theaters such as drive-in theaters, that own, operate, control, or lease five or more locations in the Commonwealth and are open to the general public to provide open captioning on any film that has at least seven showings per operating week for a period greater than one operating week, provided that open captioning is available to the theater for such film as part of the digital cinema package.
More detail
The bill specifies that (i) within the first two operating weeks following a film's release, a theater shall provide at least four open captioning viewings; (ii) at least one of such open captioning viewings shall start between (a) 5:59 p.m. and 11:01 p.m. on a Friday, (b) 10:59 a.m. and 11:01 p.m. on a Saturday or Sunday, or (c) 5:59 p.m. and 10:01 p.m. on a Monday through Thursday; and (iii) beginning in the third operating week following a film's release, a theater shall provide at least one open captioning viewing within 72 hours after receiving a request for such a viewing provided that no theater shall be obligated to provide open captioning viewing for any particular screening for which advance tickets have been sold prior to its receipt of such request.Under the bill, motion picture theater companies are required to provide contact information on their websites for receiving and fulfilling requests for open captioning screenings and advertise the date and time of open captioning screenings in the same manner used to advertise all other motion picture screenings and indicate which screenings shall include open captioning by utilizing the character symbol "OC" or such other language or symbols as may reasonably identify which screenings will include open captioning. The bill directs the Office of Civil Rights of the Attorney General of Virginia to establish a process for receiving consumer reports of suspected violations of the bill. As introduced, the bill was a recommendation of the Disability Commission. This bill is identical to HB 602.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Apr 6Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0185)Latest
- Apr 6Approved by Governor Abigail Spanberger-Chapter 185 (effective 7/1/2026)Became Law
- Mar 10Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026To Governor
- Mar 10Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026Minor
- Feb 26Signed by PresidentMajor
- Feb 26Signed by SpeakerMajor
- Feb 26Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB722)
- Feb 26Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB722ER)Major
- Feb 26EnrolledMinor
- Feb 24Passed House (81-Y 17-N 0-A)Passed House
- Vote recorded H VOTE:. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 24Read third timeMinor
- Feb 23Read second timeMinor
- Feb 19Reported from Health and Human Services (19-Y 2-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Reported from Health and Human Services. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 12Referred to Committee on Health and Human ServicesMinor
- Feb 12Read first timeMinor
- Feb 12Placed on Calendar
- Feb 6Read third time and passed Senate (27-Y 13-N 0-A)Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Passage R. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 6Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB722)
- Feb 5Engrossed by Senate - committee substituteMajor
- Feb 5Rehabilitation and Social Services Substitute agreed to
- Feb 5Read second timeMinor
- Feb 4Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
- Vote recorded Constitutional reading dispensed R. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 4Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
- Feb 4Rules suspended
- Feb 3Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 4-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Reported from Finance and Appropriations. Result: pass.Upper
- Jan 30Committee substitute printed 26106714D-S1Major
- Vote recorded Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services with substitute. Result: pass.Upper
- Jan 30Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (11-Y 4-N)Minor
- Jan 30Senate committee offered
- Jan 22Rereferred from Education and Health to Rehabilitation and Social Services (14-Y 0-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Rereferred from Education and Health. Result: pass.Upper
- Jan 14Referred to Committee on Education and HealthMinor
- Jan 14Presented and ordered printed 26104982DIntroduced