Virginians, Please Consider Supporting New Law to Mandate Closed Captioned Showings in Movie Theaters

Whenever I would ask my dad if I could watch tv as a kid he would respond by saying "Only if closed captions are on". My dad isn't deaf, he has no known disabilities, and English is his first language, he just likes to use captions. In addition, he believed closed captions would help my siblings and I learn to read.

If you live in Virginia, please consider supporting the open captions bill (HB602). This is for showings with on screen closed captions for all to see in movie theaters. This is a summary of what it mandates:

- The bill only applies to theater chains with five or more locations in Virginia. (Drive in movie theaters are exempt).

- Requires at least four open caption screenings in the first two weeks of a film's release. (Which means that the majority of screenings in the first two weeks will not have open captions)

- Of those minimum four open caption screenings, at least one must be during peak times. Peak time is defined as being after 10:59 a.m. and before 11:01 p.m. on a Saturday or Sunday, or after 5:59 p.m. and before 10:01 p.m. on a Monday through Thursday, or after 5:59 p.m. and before 11:01 p.m. on a Friday.

- After those first two weeks of a film's release, theaters must provide an open caption screening within 72 hours (3 days) of receiving a request for an open caption screening.

- Theaters with four or less locations in the state have to provide an open caption screening within eight days of receiving a request for an open caption screening.

Captions are beneficial for everyone, because it helps build vocabulary, increases retention, and dialog can be caught even if the theater is noisy. But for Deaf people, captions are necessary for access. Surprisingly though, Deaf people are not the primary open captions theater attendees. The following groups of people benefit and even rely on captions:

-The Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community

-Senoir Citizens

-English as a Second Language

-Children learning to read

-People with various disabilities (aphasia, auditory processing disorder, dyslexia, adhd, autism, noise sensitivity, etc)

-Those who simply prefer to have closed captions on

Those who say "But we have caption glasses" or "My movie theater has a personal screen for those people". These options are not comfortable, nor accessible to most people. Not only are staff ill prepared to handle these requests (the devices aren't charged, they're broken, etc), they also cause neck pain and headaches. The glasses are difficult to use with prescription glasses.

There is no con to this bill, because those who don't like captions can simply go to regular showings. However, those who need captions, would have more opportunities to enjoy movies, and there will be more awareness about open captions availability. (Do you know if your local theater offers open captions showings? Mine does!).

If you are interested in supporting this cause, all you need to do is send an email to your delegate expressing your support!

You can use this link to find out who your delegate is, as well as get their contact information. Simply input your street address: https://whosmy.virginiageneralassembly.gov

Don't know what to say? Feel free to use the following template:

Subject: Support Open Captioned Movies for All Virginians

Dear Delegate [Last Name],

I’m writing as a [student/parent/individual] who uses open captions for a better movie-watching experience.

Captions aren’t just for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing people. They are also crucial for second language learners, those with auditory processing difficulties, and anyone who benefits from visual context. Research from Oregon State University shows that 98.6% of students find captions helpful, and Netflix reports that 80% of their subscribers use subtitles or open captions regularly.

I strongly support the Open Captioned Movies in Movie Houses bill, which would make captioned screenings available for all Virginians. Captions improve accessibility for everyone, not just those in the Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing community, and they would significantly enhance the moviegoing experience for a diverse range of viewers.

Please consider supporting this important bill and helping make our state’s entertainment more inclusive for all.

Thank you for your time,

[Your Full Name]

[City, Zip Code]

[Optional: connection to captioning or accessibility]

If you would like to do more to raise awareness, feel free to reach out to me using the contact form. We have a small but mighty team working hard to help get this bill passed.