HB602Introduced in the House of Delegates
Motion picture theaters; definitions, establishes requirements for open captioning.
Introduced by Phil Hernandez, District 94
What does this bill do?
Plain-English breakdown
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Official description
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. 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 SB 722.
Where it stands
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0184)
April 6, 2026
How did lawmakers vote?
House of Delegates votes
3 recorded votes · each counted separately
Senate votes
3 recorded votes · each counted separately
SenateStage: Passed Senate (23-Y 17-N 0-A) · March 2, 2026
23
Yes
17
No
0
Absent or Not Voting
40 senators recorded in this Senate vote. Colors show vote categories only, not whether a vote was good or bad.
What do people think?
Citizen Voice
How would you vote on this bill?
An unofficial public opinion poll. It does not affect the bill or the official vote.
One response per device. Location is self-reported and not verified. Results are informal and not a scientific survey.
See how each senator voted
| Senator | District | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Elizabeth Bennett-Parker | 5 | Yes |
| Michael Jones | 77 | Yes |
| Timmy French | 1 | Yes |
| Mark Obenshain | 2 | No |
| Chris Head | 3 | Yes |
| David Suetterlein | 4 | No |
| Travis Hackworth | 5 | No |
| Todd Pillion | 6 | No |
| William Stanley | 7 | No |
| Mark Peake | 8 | No |
Bill history
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104564D
Referred to Committee on General Laws
Referred from General Laws and referred to Health and Human Services (Voice Vote)
Assigned sub: Health
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB602)
House subcommittee offered
Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (10-Y 0-N)
Reported from Health and Human Services with substitute (19-Y 1-N 1-A)
Committee substitute printed 26106291D-H1
Read first time
Read second time
committee substitute agreed to
Engrossed by House - committee substitute
Read third time and passed House (79-Y 17-N 0-A)
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
Referred to Committee on Finance and Appropriations
Reported from Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 4-N)
Rules suspended
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB602)
Read third time
Passed by for the day
Passed Senate (23-Y 17-N 0-A)
Enrolled
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB602ER)
Signed by Speaker
Signed by President
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB602)
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
Approved by Governor-Chapter 184 (effective 7/1/2026)
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0184)
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