Bill Commons

VA HB 602

enacted

Motion picture theaters; definitions, establishes requirements for open captioning.

Virginia · 2026 Regular Session · lower

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Quick answers

Did VA HB 602 pass?

Yes. VA HB 602 has been enacted into law. Latest recorded action (2026-04-06): Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0184)

What is VA HB 602 about?

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.

Who sponsors VA HB 602?

Phil M. Hernandez is the primary sponsor of VA HB 602, joined by 42 cosponsors.

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.

Introduced
2026-01-13
Latest action
2026-04-06 — Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0184)
Bill type
bill
Last updated
—

Sponsors

  • Phil M. Hernandezprimary
  • Vivian E. Wattscosponsor
  • Jeion A. Wardcosponsor
  • Virgil Thorntoncosponsor
  • Joshua E. Thomascosponsor
  • Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.cosponsor
  • JJ Singhcosponsor
  • Irene Shincosponsor
  • Briana D. Sewellcosponsor
  • Holly M. Seiboldcosponsor
  • Charlie Schmidtcosponsor
  • Atoosa R. Reasercosponsor
  • Sam Rasoulcosponsor
  • Marcia S. "Cia" Pricecosponsor
  • Delores L. McQuinncosponsor
  • John Chilton McAuliffcosponsor
  • Marty Martinezcosponsor
  • Michelle Lopes Maldonadocosponsor
  • Destiny LeVere Bollingcosponsor
  • Amy J. Laufercosponsor
  • Paul E. Krizekcosponsor
  • Karen Keys-Gamarracosponsor
  • Elizabeth R. Guzmancosponsor
  • Lily V. Franklincosponsor
  • Mark C. Downeycosponsor
  • Lindsey Doughertycosponsor
  • Rae Cousinscosponsor
  • Nicole Colecosponsor
  • Laura Jane Cohencosponsor
  • Nadarius E. Clarkcosponsor
  • Stacey Annie Carrollcosponsor
  • Betsy B. Carrcosponsor
  • Karen R. "Kacey" Carnegiecosponsor
  • Katrina Callsencosponsor
  • Gretchen M. Bulovacosponsor
  • Alex Q. Askewcosponsor
  • Bonita G. Anthonycosponsor
  • Rodney T. Willettcosponsor
  • Kathy K.L. Trancosponsor
  • Adele Y. McClurecosponsor
  • Patrick A. Hopecosponsor
  • Michael B. Fegganscosponsor
  • Jessica L. Andersoncosponsor

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

Newest first

  1. 2026-04-06

    Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0184)

  2. 2026-04-06

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 184 (effective 7/1/2026)

    executive-signature

  3. 2026-03-10

    Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

    executive-receipt

  4. 2026-03-10

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026

    enrolled,executive-receipt

  5. 2026-03-06

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB602)

  6. 2026-03-06

    Signed by President

    passage

  7. 2026-03-06

    Signed by Speaker

    passage

  8. 2026-03-06

    Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB602ER)

    passage

  9. 2026-03-06

    Enrolled

    enrolled

  10. 2026-03-02

    Passed Senate (23-Y 17-N 0-A)

    passage

  11. 2026-02-27

    Passed by for the day

  12. 2026-02-27

    Read third time

    reading-3

  13. 2026-02-26

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB602)

  14. 2026-02-26

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  15. 2026-02-26

    Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  16. 2026-02-26

    Rules suspended

  17. 2026-02-25

    Reported from Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 4-N)

    committee-passage

  18. 2026-02-18

    Referred to Committee on Finance and Appropriations

    referral-committee

  19. 2026-02-18

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  20. 2026-02-17

    Read third time and passed House (79-Y 17-N 0-A)

    passage,reading-3

  21. 2026-02-16

    Engrossed by House - committee substitute

    substitution

  22. 2026-02-16

    committee substitute agreed to

    substitution

  23. 2026-02-16

    Read second time

    reading-2

  24. 2026-02-15

    Read first time

    reading-1

  25. 2026-02-12

    Committee substitute printed 26106291D-H1

    substitution

  26. 2026-02-12

    Reported from Health and Human Services with substitute (19-Y 1-N 1-A)

    committee-passage

  27. 2026-02-10

    Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (10-Y 0-N)

    substitution

  28. 2026-02-10

    House subcommittee offered

  29. 2026-02-06

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB602)

  30. 2026-01-30

    Assigned sub: Health

    referral-committee

  31. 2026-01-29

    Referred from General Laws and referred to Health and Human Services (Voice Vote)

    referral-committee

  32. 2026-01-13

    Referred to Committee on General Laws

    referral-committee

  33. 2026-01-13

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104564D

    filing,introduction

Versions

Documents

Votes

  • Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute

    2026-02-10 · pass · 10-0

    Member-level votes (10)
    • Patrick A. Hope: yes
    • Marcia S. "Cia" Price: yes
    • Sam Rasoul: yes
    • Charniele L. Herring: yes
    • Irene Shin: yes
    • Mark C. Downey: yes
    • Garrett McGuire: yes
    • M. Keith Hodges: yes
    • Wendell S. Walker: yes
    • H. Otto Wachsmann, Jr.: yes

  • Reported from Health and Human Services with substitute

    2026-02-12 · pass · 19-1

    Member-level votes (22)
    • Rodney T. Willett: yes
    • Kathy K.L. Tran: yes
    • Patrick A. Hope: yes
    • Marcia S. "Cia" Price: yes
    • C.E. Cliff Hayes, Jr.: yes
    • Sam Rasoul: yes
    • Charniele L. Herring: yes
    • Irene Shin: yes
    • Joshua G. Cole: yes
    • Rozia A. Henson, Jr.: yes
    • Debra D. Gardner: yes
    • Laura Jane Cohen: yes
    • Mark C. Downey: yes
    • Nicole Cole: yes
    • Garrett McGuire: yes
    • M. Keith Hodges: yes
    • Wendell S. Walker: yes
    • Mike A. Cherry: yes
    • Phillip A. Scott: abstain
    • H. Otto Wachsmann, Jr.: yes
    • Mitchell Cornett: no
    • Wren M. Williams: not voting

  • H VOTE:

    2026-02-17 · pass · 78-17

    Member-level votes (99)
    • Jessica L. Anderson: yes
    • Bonita G. Anthony: yes
    • Alex Q. Askew: yes
    • Terry L. Austin: yes
    • Jason S. Ballard: no
    • Robert S. Bloxom, Jr.: yes
    • Gretchen M. Bulova: yes
    • Katrina Callsen: yes
    • Delores L. McQuinn: yes
    • Leslie Chambers Mehta: yes
    • James W. Morefield: yes
    • May Nivar: yes
    • Delores Oates: no
    • Israel D. O'Quinn: yes
    • Justin Pence: no
    • Eric Phillips: yes
    • Kimberly Pope Adams: yes
    • Marcia S. "Cia" Price: yes
    • Sam Rasoul: yes
    • Atoosa R. Reaser: yes
    • David A. Reid: yes
    • Chris S. Runion: yes
    • Charlie Schmidt: yes
    • Don Scott: yes
    • Phillip A. Scott: no
    • Holly M. Seibold: yes
    • Briana D. Sewell: yes
    • Irene Shin: yes
    • Karen R. "Kacey" Carnegie: yes
    • Betsy B. Carr: yes
    • Marcus B. Simon: yes
    • Stacey Annie Carroll: yes
    • Mike A. Cherry: no
    • Nadarius E. Clark: not voting
    • Laura Jane Cohen: yes
    • Joshua G. Cole: yes
    • Shelly A. Simonds: yes
    • JJ Singh: yes
    • Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.: yes
    • Anne Ferrell Tata: yes
    • Joshua E. Thomas: yes
    • Virgil Thornton: yes
    • Luke E. Torian: yes
    • Kathy K.L. Tran: yes
    • H. Otto Wachsmann, Jr.: yes
    • Wendell S. Walker: yes
    • Jeion A. Ward: yes
    • R. Lee Ware: not voting
    • Vivian E. Watts: yes
    • Michael J. Webert: no
    • Madison Whittle: no
    • Bill Wiley: no
    • Rodney T. Willett: yes
    • Wren M. Williams: yes
    • Tony O. Wilt: yes
    • Thomas C. Wright, Jr.: no
    • Scott A. Wyatt: no
    • Eric R. Zehr: no
    • Nicole Cole: yes
    • Kelly K. Convirs-Fowler: yes
    • Mitchell Cornett: no
    • Rae Cousins: yes
    • Will Davis: yes
    • Karrie K. Delaney: yes
    • Lindsey Dougherty: yes
    • Mark C. Downey: yes
    • Michael B. Feggans: yes
    • Hyland F. "Buddy" Fowler, Jr.: yes
    • Lily V. Franklin: yes
    • Margaret A. Franklin: yes
    • Debra D. Gardner: yes
    • Thomas A. Garrett, Jr.: no
    • Jackie H. Glass: yes
    • Timothy P. Griffin: no
    • Elizabeth R. Guzman: yes
    • Karen Hamilton: no
    • C.E. Cliff Hayes, Jr.: yes
    • Dan I. Helmer: yes
    • Rozia A. Henson, Jr.: yes
    • Phil M. Hernandez: yes
    • Charniele L. Herring: yes
    • M. Keith Hodges: yes
    • Patrick A. Hope: yes
    • Hillary Pugh Kent: no
    • Karen Keys-Gamarra: yes
    • Terry G. Kilgore: yes
    • Barry D. Knight: not voting
    • Paul E. Krizek: yes
    • Amy J. Laufer: yes
    • James A. "Jay" Leftwich: yes
    • Destiny LeVere Bolling: yes
    • Alfonso H. Lopez: yes
    • Michelle Lopes Maldonado: yes
    • Marty Martinez: yes
    • John Chilton McAuliff: not voting
    • Adele Y. McClure: yes
    • Garrett McGuire: yes
    • Ellen H. McLaughlin: yes
    • Joseph P. McNamara: no

  • Reported from Finance and Appropriations

    2026-02-25 · pass · 9-4

    Member-level votes (15)
    • L. Louise Lucas: yes
    • R. Creigh Deeds: yes
    • Mamie E. Locke: yes
    • Ryan T. McDougle: no
    • Mark D. Obenshain: no
    • Richard H. Stuart: no
    • Bryce E. Reeves: not voting
    • Barbara A. Favola: yes
    • Scott A. Surovell: no
    • Jeremy S. McPike: yes
    • Jennifer B. Boysko: yes
    • Todd E. Pillion: yes
    • Aaron R. Rouse: yes
    • Lamont Bagby: yes
    • Lashrecse D. Aird: not voting

  • Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading)

    2026-02-26 · pass · 40-0

    Member-level votes (40)
    • Lashrecse D. Aird: yes
    • Lamont Bagby: yes
    • Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker: yes
    • Jennifer B. Boysko: yes
    • Jennifer D. Carroll Foy: yes
    • Luther Cifers, III: yes
    • Christie New Craig: yes
    • R. Creigh Deeds: yes
    • Bill DeSteph: yes
    • J.D. "Danny" Diggs: yes
    • Tara A. Durant: yes
    • Barbara A. Favola: yes
    • Timmy French: yes
    • T. Travis Hackworth: yes
    • Christopher T. Head: yes
    • Michael J. Jones: yes
    • Emily M. Jordan: yes
    • Mamie E. Locke: yes
    • L. Louise Lucas: yes
    • David W. Marsden: yes
    • Ryan T. McDougle: yes
    • Jeremy S. McPike: yes
    • Tammy Brankley Mulchi: yes
    • Mark D. Obenshain: yes
    • Mark J. Peake: yes
    • Stella G. Pekarsky: yes
    • Russet Perry: yes
    • Todd E. Pillion: yes
    • Bryce E. Reeves: yes
    • Danica A. Roem: yes
    • Aaron R. Rouse: yes
    • Saddam Azlan Salim: yes
    • Kannan Srinivasan: yes
    • William M. Stanley, Jr.: yes
    • Richard H. Stuart: yes
    • Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr.: yes
    • David R. Suetterlein: yes
    • Scott A. Surovell: yes
    • Schuyler T. VanValkenburg: yes
    • Angelia Williams Graves: yes

  • Passage R

    2026-03-02 · pass · 23-17

    Member-level votes (40)
    • Lashrecse D. Aird: yes
    • Lamont Bagby: yes
    • Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker: yes
    • Jennifer B. Boysko: yes
    • Jennifer D. Carroll Foy: yes
    • Luther Cifers, III: no
    • Christie New Craig: no
    • R. Creigh Deeds: yes
    • Bill DeSteph: no
    • J.D. "Danny" Diggs: no
    • Tara A. Durant: no
    • Barbara A. Favola: yes
    • Timmy French: yes
    • T. Travis Hackworth: no
    • Christopher T. Head: yes
    • Michael J. Jones: yes
    • Emily M. Jordan: no
    • Mamie E. Locke: yes
    • L. Louise Lucas: yes
    • David W. Marsden: yes
    • Ryan T. McDougle: no
    • Jeremy S. McPike: yes
    • Tammy Brankley Mulchi: no
    • Mark D. Obenshain: no
    • Mark J. Peake: no
    • Stella G. Pekarsky: yes
    • Russet Perry: yes
    • Todd E. Pillion: no
    • Bryce E. Reeves: no
    • Danica A. Roem: yes
    • Aaron R. Rouse: yes
    • Saddam Azlan Salim: yes
    • Kannan Srinivasan: yes
    • William M. Stanley, Jr.: no
    • Richard H. Stuart: no
    • Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr.: no
    • David R. Suetterlein: no
    • Scott A. Surovell: yes
    • Schuyler T. VanValkenburg: yes
    • Angelia Williams Graves: yes

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB602

Attribution

Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T05:35:59.552682Z

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