New York Senate Bill S09888

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 4/13/26
• Refer: 4/13/26
• Report Pass: 5/12/26

Caption

Requires a motion picture theater that offers more than ten motion picture showings per week to provide scheduled showings of motion pictures with open motion picture captioning such that at least one quarter of all showings of a motion picture with four or more showings during a one-week time period shall have open motion picture captioning; provides exceptions and penalties for violations.

Summary

This bill would add a new article to the General Business Law requiring certain motion picture theaters in New York to offer open-captioned screenings on a scheduled basis. The requirement applies to theaters that provide more than ten showings per week and, for any movie shown at least four times in a week, at least one-quarter of those showings must include open motion picture captioning. The bill also sets scheduling rules so that at least half of the required captioned showings occur during peak attendance hours, requires theaters to advertise which showings are captioned, and obligates theaters to keep records demonstrating compliance for three years. The bill defines open captioning broadly to include dialogue, speaker identification, music, and sound effects displayed on-screen. It also limits the number of captioned showings that can be counted for a single film in a week and allows theaters to provide more captioned showings than the minimum required. The measure would take effect 120 days after becoming law.

Impact

The bill would amend the General Business Law by creating a statewide open-captioning mandate for qualifying motion picture theaters, while preserving stronger local rules already adopted by municipalities. It establishes civil penalties of up to $100 for a first violation and up to $500 for each subsequent violation, and it exempts independent cinemas not affiliated with a chain, not-for-profit cinemas, and single-screen theaters that show movies four times or less per week. The practical effect is to expand access for deaf and hard-of-hearing moviegoers and others who benefit from captions, while imposing new scheduling, advertising, and recordkeeping obligations on larger theaters.

Sentiment

The available context suggests generally favorable sentiment toward the bill, as it was reported favorably from committee and advanced through the Senate process. The bill’s purpose is framed as an accessibility measure rather than a controversial regulatory overhaul, and there is no recorded vote or transcript showing organized opposition in the provided materials. The committee history indicates support sufficient to move the bill forward, though the absence of vote details limits how broadly that support can be measured.

Contention

The main points of contention likely concern operational burden and cost for theaters, especially around scheduling, advertising, and compliance tracking for multiple captioned showings each week. The bill addresses some of those concerns by exempting independent, nonprofit, and very small single-screen theaters, and by allowing local governments to adopt equal or stricter requirements. Another potential issue is the balance between accessibility and programming flexibility, since the bill requires captioned showings at specific times and limits how many captioned screenings of a single film can count toward compliance.