Maryland legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Maryland HB435: Places of Public Accommodation - Open Movie Captioning
Status: In committee, March 19, 2026
Decreasing from eight to four the number of screens in a motion picture house above which the motion picture house is required to provide open movie captioning.
What the bill says
An act concerning Places of Public Accommodation - Open Movie Captioning FOR the purpose of decreasing the number of screens in a motion picture house above which the motion picture house is required to provide open movie captioning; and generally relating to movie captioning in motion picture houses. BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, Article - State Government Section 20-306 Annotated Code of Maryland (2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement).
From the engrossed text, March 17, 2026:
AN ACT concerning Places of Public Accommodation - Open Movie Captioning FOR the purpose of decreasing the number of screens in a motion picture house above which the motion picture house is required to provide open movie captioning; and generally relating to movie captioning in motion picture houses. BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, Article - State Government Section 20-306 Annotated Code of Maryland (2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: Article - State Government 20-306. (a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. (2) "Closed captioning" means a transcript or dialog of the audio portion of a television program that is displayed on a television receiver screen when the user activates the feature. EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW. [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law. Underlining indicates amendments to bill. Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by amendment. *hb0435* HOUSE BILL (3) "Closed movie captioning" means the written display of the dialog and certain nonspeech information of a motion picture that is generally delivered to individual patrons on a captioning device in a motion picture house. (4) "Closed-captioning television receiver" means a receiver of television …
Sponsors
- Harry Bhandari (D, 8) · primary sponsor
Latest actions
- : Referred Judicial Proceedings
- : Third Reading Passed (126-5)
- : Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed
- : Favorable Report by Government, Labor, and Elections
- : Hearing 2/17 at 1:00 p.m.
- : First Reading Government, Labor, and Elections
Votes
- Third Reading Passed (126-5) (March 18, 2026): 126 yea, 5 nay, passed
Common questions
- What is HB435?
- HB435 is a bill in the Maryland Legislature (2026 Regular Session): Places of Public Accommodation - Open Movie Captioning.
- What does HB435 do?
- In its own words: An act concerning Places of Public Accommodation - Open Movie Captioning FOR the purpose of decreasing the number of screens in a motion picture house above which the motion picture house is required to provide open movie captioning; and generally relating to movie captioning in motion picture houses. BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, Article - State Government Section 20-306 Annotated Code of Maryland (2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement).
- What is the status of HB435?
- In committee as of March 19, 2026. Latest action: Referred Judicial Proceedings (March 19, 2026).
- Who sponsored HB435?
- Harry Bhandari (D, 8).
- Where is the official record for HB435?
- On the Maryland Legislature website: https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/hb0435?ys=2026RS
Source: official Maryland record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.