HB1363 amends Maryland’s public accommodation law to expand and clarify movie-captioning requirements for motion picture houses. The bill lowers the threshold for theaters that must provide open movie captioning from eight screens to four screens, and it requires qualifying theaters to offer at least two open-captioned screenings per week for each movie that is available with open captions. It also preserves the existing requirement that motion picture houses provide access to fully operational and well-maintained closed movie captioning technology for screenings of films that are produced and available with closed captions under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act.
The bill also adds a new monthly reporting requirement. By the 10th day of each month, each motion picture house that is a place of public accommodation must report to the Commission on Civil Rights and the Attorney General the films screened in the prior month using closed movie captioning, and, if applicable, open movie captioning, along with the times and dates of those screenings. The act takes effect October 1, 2025, and amends Section 20-306 of the State Government Article.
Impact
HB1363 changes state civil rights and public accommodation law by imposing broader captioning obligations on motion picture houses, especially mid-sized theaters with four or more screens. It creates a new administrative reporting duty for theaters and gives the Commission on Civil Rights and the Attorney General additional information to monitor compliance. The bill affects theater operators, movie exhibitors, and patrons who rely on captioning access, particularly deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests the bill was generally supported in the House, passing third reading by a substantial margin of 104 yeas to 33 nays. The committee report was favorable, indicating positive treatment in committee as well. No committee transcript excerpts were provided, so the record here shows overall legislative support but not detailed debate positions.
Contention
The main point of contention appears to be the expanded mandate on theaters, especially the reduction of the screen-count threshold from eight to four screens and the requirement to provide a minimum number of open-captioned screenings each week. Theater operators may view the new obligations and monthly reporting requirements as burdensome or costly, while disability advocates are likely to support the increased access and transparency. The vote count indicates some opposition remained, likely reflecting concerns about operational flexibility, compliance costs, or the scope of the mandate.