New York’s Assembly bill 4628 for open captions is still gaining cosponsors. Greet Assembly Member George Alvarez, who represents the Bronx! Want to say thank-you to Mr. Alvarez? Send him a message at alvarezg@nyassembly.gov.
Now, West Virginia! On February 28, West Virginia re-introduced its open caption bill in the West Virginia House (HB 3013), with a whopping TEN cosponsors! Delegate Jeff Campbell introduced. His bill is backed by: Delegates Eric Brooks, Dana Ferrell, Roland Jennings, Dean Jeffries, Roy Cooper, Denny Canterbury, Jonathan Pinson, Ryan Browning, Joe Parsons, and Jared Cannon.
Then on March 5, West Virginia re-introduced its open caption bill in the West Virginia Senate (SB 698), with two cosponsors. Senator Vince Deeds introduced the Senate bill, backed by Senators Scott Fuller and Jack Woodrum.
What does the West Virginia bill do?
Theaters that the bill apply to, would have to provide open captions for at least two screenings per week for movies that have open captions available. This applies only to theaters with six or more screens. Therefore it would apply to a very limited list of theaters, most of which already offer regular open caption screenings:
- Huntington: Marquee Pullman Square 16
- Beckley: Marquee Cinemas Galleria 14
- Triadelphia: Marquee Cinemas Highland 14
- Barboursville: Cinemark Huntington Mall 12
- Charleston: Marquee Cinemas Southridge 12
- Nitro: Regal Nitro Stadium 12
- Vienna: Regal Grand Central Mall 12
- Bridgeport: Cinemark Meadowbrook Mall 10
- Lewisburg: Unreel Theater Group Lewisburg 8
- Logan: Unreel Theater Group Fountain Place Logan Cinema 8
AMC has only one theater in West Virginia. However, this theater already offers open captions regularly:
Morgantown: AMC Morgantown 12
Helps Blind and Vision Impaired Too!
A very interesting difference in the West Virginia bill from the other state bills (New York, Washington): West Virginia’s bill has something that would benefit people with vision challenges! It would require audio description on request, when the movie has audio description available. The exact language from the bill: “requiring, when requested, audio description be provided for any motion picture that is produced and offered with audio description.”
Are You a West Virginian?
If your Delegate is someone else besides Delegates Campbell, Eric Brooks, Dana Ferrell, Roland Jennings, Dean Jeffries, Denny Canterbury, Jonathan Pinson, Ryan Browning, Joe Parsons, and Jared Cannon, you can find your delegate on the West Virginia House Delegates page: https://www.wvlegislature.gov/House/roster.cfm
If your Senator is someone else besides Senators Vince Deeds, Scott Fuller, and Jack Woodrum, you can find your Senator on the West Virginia Senators page: https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Senate1/roster.cfm
Not a West Virginian?
That’s ok! Do you have family or friends in West Virginia? Reach out to them and share the news about the open caption bill in West Virginia.
URL for shares: https://change.org/ocmoviesnow