Quite a bit has happened since the last Caption Action 3 petition update on February 8 in both New York and Washington state!
New York
New York State’s Assembly bill 4628 now has 3 cosponsors: Assembly Members Brian Manktelow (Republican), Linda Rosenthal (Democratic), and Carrie Woerner (Democratic).
There was an article and video in the Rochester WHEC 10 channel website.
Plans continue for a YouTube video.
Washington
Washington’s bill SB 5486 had 2 hearings on Feb 4 and Feb 6. The first hearing was a public hearing, and the second one was an executive (not public) hearing. Videos are posted at the bottom of the WA bill page.
There is now a substitute bill with changes and additions:
Theaters with 6 or more screens:
Stays the same: Number of screens: 6 or more
New: digitally projected movies that have 5 or more screenings. Substitute bill: “shall provide open captioning screenings of each such motion picture that has at least five scheduled screenings within each of the time periods set forth below:”
Stays the same for 5 or more screenings of a movie: Within the first two weeks of a movie’s release, there must be two or more OC screenings. At least one of the screenings must be during peak weekend hours.
Stays the same for 5 or more screenings of a movie: After the second week, at least one OC screening must be in peak hours. From Monday to Thursday, peak hours means between 5:59 p.m. and 10:01 p.m. On Fridays it means between 5:59 p.m. and 11:01 p.m. For Saturdays and Sundays, it means between 10:59 a.m. and 11:01 p.m.
Theaters with 5 or less screens:
Before: If someone requests an OC screening, the theater must do so within 72 hours of OC being requested.
Now: Theater has 5 calendar days to respond to requests. Substitute bill: “Provide an open captioning screening within five calendar days after receiving a request.”
Before: Requested OC offerings must be “consistent” with requirements for theaters with six or more screens.
Now: No requirement for requested OC offerings to be consistent with the requirements for theaters with six or more screens.
Before: Also, theaters can not "double-book," meaning schedule OC screenings such that they are overlapping with each other. If they overlap, they won't count towards the minimum requirement. The exception is if it is simply not possible to avoid overlapping.
Now: If there is an overlap, no more than 1 screening can be counted towards the minimum required. (Before, none of the overlapping screenings counted, now, 1 can be counted).
Violations: Theaters have 30 days to cure violations after being notified of violations. There is no fine and violations are dismissed if violations are cured within 30 days. Before: subsequent violations could be fined up to $300; Now: up to $500.
SO WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Folks in NY and WA can contact their legislators to ask for co-sponsorship.
In New York, contact these chairpersons of the Consumer Protection and Consumer Affairs and Protection committees to make them aware you support the bill and would like them to support it too:
Rachel May
Chair, Committee on Consumer Protection
may@nysenate.gov
Nily Rozic
Chair, Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection
RozicN@nyassembly.gov
In Washington, keep contacting your legislators to ask for co-sponsorship. There have been no new cosponsors since the bill was introduced.
Not in NY or WA? Tell family and friends there and send them this update.
SHARE!
And as always, SHARE the Caption Action 3 petition! Every signature counts. https://change.org/ocmoviesnow is the easy to remember, easy to share url!