u/Ocmoviesnys

S9888, our NYS Senate bill to end movie cinema discrimination against the deaf and hard of hearing, needs a “discharge” into Rules NOW from the Commerce Committee so that it can be voted on before adjournment on June 4.

If you live in New York State, please call ASAP:  

Sean Mulligan
716.826.2683
Legislative Director 
for Commerce Committee Chair Sen. April Baskin  
Leave a message, if necessary, on behalf of New Yorkers who are deaf and hard of hearing to please help move S9888 via a discharge and toward a Senate vote in the short time remaining.

And if you can make a second call, ask Sen. Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins’ legislative director to help push S9888 toward a vote:

Josh Marcil
518.455-2585.

It only takes a minute to make these 2 calls. 

——————————-

Progress is being made on the Assembly side, where we’re hoping A4628B (AM Seawright, lead sponsor) will be voted out of Rules and passed by the Assembly in coming days.

Thank you to everyone who has already made calls, sent emails, shared posts, or helped spread awareness. It really is making a difference. As the bill status changes, we’ll continue sharing updates on the next steps that can help move this legislation forward before the legislative session ends.

S9888, our NYS Senate bill to end movie cinema discrimination against the deaf and hard of hearing, needs a “discharge” into Rules NOW from the Commerce Committee so that it can be voted on before adjournment on June 4.

If you live in New York State, please call ASAP:  

Sean Mulligan
716.826.2683
Legislative Director 
for Commerce Committee Chair Sen. April Baskin  
Leave a message, if necessary, on behalf of New Yorkers who are deaf and hard of hearing to please help move S9888 via a discharge and toward a Senate vote in the short time remaining.

And if you can make a second call, ask Sen. Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins’ legislative director to help push S9888 toward a vote:

Josh Marcil
518.455-2585.

It only takes a minute to make these 2 calls. 

——————————-

Progress is being made on the Assembly side, where we’re hoping A4628B (AM Seawright, lead sponsor) will be voted out of Rules and passed by the Assembly in coming days.

Thank you to everyone who has already made calls, sent emails, shared posts, or helped spread awareness. It really is making a difference. As the bill status changes, we’ll continue sharing updates on the next steps that can help move this legislation forward before the legislative session ends.

IMPORTANT UPDATE ON NY OPEN CAPTIONS BILL S9888

On Tuesday (5/12), the Senate Consumer Protection Committee voted the open captions bill (S9888) forward to the Commerce, Economic Development and Small Business Committee.

But, that committee is unable to vote it out for a floor vote this week. Now, our only hope, according to lead sponsor Sen. Nathalia Fernandez’s team, is to obtain “a discharge from Commerce to Rules,” so that the Senate can pass S.9888 and the Assembly can pass the companion A4628B before the legislature adjourns on June 4.

Please make two telephone calls NOW:

1. Call Josh Marcil in Albany at 518-455-2585

He is Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins’ Legislative Director. The Majority Leader has the authority to discharge S.9888 to Rules and enable Senate passage. Let Mr. Marcil know we’re watching.

If he doesn’t pick up, leave an urgent message on behalf of HLAA NYSA and the state’s over one million deaf and hard of hearing people who deserve equal access to movies in cinemas.

The bill has also been amended to protect smaller cinemas while requiring the big cinema chains to offer a fair number of open-captioned movie showtimes.

2. Call your Senator’s Albany Office to Speak Up Now to Bring S.9888 to the Floor for a Vote

Find your Senator here:
https://www.nysenate.gov/find-my-senator

If we don’t get action NOW, we’re left to wait another year to end the discrimination of chain cinemas against New Yorkers who are deaf and hard of hearing.

May 6 Update from the Hearing Loss Association of America New York State (HLAA-NYS) Advocacy Committee:

The State Senate bill (S.9888) to require open-captions of movies in cinemas has been submitted for inclusion on the agenda for the next meeting of the Consumer Protection Committee.  
 
These agendas first undergo review by counsel and leadership. But we are hopeful that Consumer Protection will take up and approve S.9888 in coming days. 
 
If you haven't yet asked your state senators to co-sponsor the bill, please call or email their offices now to express your desire to end discrimination by the big cinema chains, such as AMC and Regal, against people who are deaf and hard of hearing.   
 
Time is short, as the State Legislature is set to adjourn in early June.

May 6 Update from the Hearing Loss Association of America New York State (HLAA-NYS) Advocacy Committee:

The State Senate bill (S.9888) to require open-captions of movies in cinemas has been submitted for inclusion on the agenda for the next meeting of the Consumer Protection Committee.  
 
These agendas first undergo review by counsel and leadership. But we are hopeful that Consumer Protection will take up and approve S.9888 in coming days. 
 
If you haven't yet asked your state senators to co-sponsor the bill, please call or email their offices now to express your desire to end discrimination by the big cinema chains, such as AMC and Regal, against people who are deaf and hard of hearing.   
 
Time is short, as the State Legislature is set to adjourn in early June.

Update on the NY Open Captions at Movie Theaters Bill (S9888):

The bill was introduced on April 13 and, as of May 4, is still stuck in the NY State Senate Consumer Protection Committee. With the legislative session ending on June 4, time is running out. If it does not move IMMEDIATELY NOW, it will likely stall again this year.

⸻

What helps most (in order):

I. Call Rachel May (Chair of the Consumer Protection Committee)
As Chair, she decides whether this bill moves forward.
She was also a co-sponsor last year but has not yet signed on this session.
(518) 455-2838

⸻

II. Call your NY State Senator and ask them to co-sponsor S9888
More co-sponsors = more pressure to move the bill.

Find your senator:
https://www.nysenate.gov/find-my-senator

If your Senator supported this bill last year, ask them to renew their co-sponsorship.
This includes:

Bill Weber (also on the Consumer Protection Committee)
Lea Webb (also on the Consumer Protection Committee)
Julia Salazar

⸻

III. Quick action form (takes 1–2 minutes):
https://www.hearingloss.org/advocacy-and-resources/action-alerts/expand-new-york-open-caption-movies/

⸻

This bill would require a limited number of movie showtimes with open captions, meaning captions are shown directly on the screen, and these showings will be clearly labeled so people can choose whether to attend those showings.

It helps not only people who are deaf or hard of hearing, but also people who are neurodivergent, have auditory processing challenges, are English language learners, or anyone who benefits from captions.

⸻

Last year, the bill had support but never made it out of committee. That is exactly what could happen again without public pressure.

There is still a real chance to get it passed this session, but only if people act now.

You can read the bill here:
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S9888

⸻

Even a small number of calls can make a difference right now.
If you have a minute, please call. If you can, please share.

⸻

What to say (10 seconds):

For Senator May:
Hi, I’m calling to ask Senator May to co-sponsor S9888 again and move the open captions at movie theaters bill out of committee.

For your Senator:
Hi, I’m a constituent calling to ask Senator ___ to co-sponsor S9888, the open captions at movie theaters bill, and support moving it forward this session.

Update on the NY Open Captions at Movie Theaters Bill (S9888):

The bill was introduced on April 13 and, as of May 4, is still stuck in the NY State Senate Consumer Protection Committee. With the legislative session ending on June 4, time is running out. If it does not move IMMEDIATELY NOW, it will likely stall again this year.

⸻

What helps most (in order):

I. Call Rachel May (Chair of the Consumer Protection Committee)
As Chair, she decides whether this bill moves forward.
She was also a co-sponsor last year but has not yet signed on this session.
(518) 455-2838

⸻

II. Call your NY State Senator and ask them to co-sponsor S9888
More co-sponsors = more pressure to move the bill.

Find your senator:
https://www.nysenate.gov/find-my-senator

If your Senator supported this bill last year, ask them to renew their co-sponsorship.
This includes:

Bill Weber (also on the Consumer Protection Committee)
Lea Webb
Julia Salazar

⸻

III. Quick action form (takes 1–2 minutes):
https://www.hearingloss.org/advocacy-and-resources/action-alerts/expand-new-york-open-caption-movies/

⸻

This bill would require a limited number of movie showtimes with open captions, meaning captions are shown directly on the screen, and these showings will be clearly labeled so people can choose whether to attend those showings.

It helps not only people who are deaf or hard of hearing, but also people who are neurodivergent, have auditory processing challenges, are English language learners, or anyone who benefits from captions.

⸻

Last year, the bill had support but never made it out of committee. That is exactly what could happen again without public pressure.

There is still a real chance to get it passed this session, but only if people act now.

You can read the bill here:
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S9888

⸻

Even a small number of calls can make a difference right now.
If you have a minute, please call. If you can, please share.

⸻

What to say (10 seconds):

For Senator May:
Hi, I’m calling to ask Senator May to co-sponsor S9888 again and move the open captions at movie theaters bill out of committee.

For your Senator:
Hi, I’m a constituent calling to ask Senator ___ to co-sponsor S9888, the open captions at movie theaters bill, and support moving it forward this session.

Sharing an update on efforts to introduce a statewide open movie caption bill in New York State. NYC already has a law, but this would expand it statewide.

HLAA-NYS has been in contact with the legislature and was told in March that multiple Senators had expressed interest in sponsoring the 2026 bill, and that a lead sponsor would likely be determined soon probably before the end of March.

The message below is from Jerry Bergman, Director of the Advocacy Committee for the Hearing Loss Association of New York State:

Friends,

For over three months and counting, the New York State Legislature has failed to assign a lead Senate  sponsor to the Open Movie Caption Bill.  It’s pretty outrageous that cinema chains are allowed to continue to discriminate against deaf and hard of hearing moviegoers by making them obtain closed caption devices when they could easily and at no cost provide a few open captioned movie showtimes.

But here’s a bit of good news:  On April 6, Virginia Governor Spanberger signed OCAP bill HB 602 into law, to take effect on July 1 and make Virginia the 6th jurisdiction — following Hawaii, Maryland, the District of Columbia, Washington State and New York City — to require cinemas to give equal treatment to deaf and hard of hearing people.

If you live in New York State and care about this failure of our lawmakers to do the right thing, please call and write to your elected state senator and demand that the legislature act.

Jerry Bergman,

Director, Advocacy Committee

Hearing Loss Association of New York State

Sharing an update on efforts to introduce a statewide open movie caption bill in New York State. NYC already has a law, but this would expand it statewide.

HLAA-NYS has been in contact with the legislature and was told that multiple Senators had expressed interest in sponsoring the 2026 bill, and that a lead sponsor would likely be determined soon probably before the end of March.

The message below is from Jerry Bergman, Director of the Advocacy Committee for the Hearing Loss Association of New York State:

Friends,

For over three months and counting, the New York State Legislature has failed to assign a lead Senate  sponsor to the Open Movie Caption Bill.  It’s pretty outrageous that cinema chains are allowed to continue to discriminate against deaf and hard of hearing moviegoers by making them obtain closed caption devices when they could easily and at no cost provide a few open captioned movie showtimes.

But here’s a bit of good news:  On April 6, Virginia Governor Spanberger signed OCAP bill HB 602 into law, to take effect on July 1 and make Virginia the 6th jurisdiction — following Hawaii, Maryland, the District of Columbia, Washington State and New York City — to require cinemas to give equal treatment to deaf and hard of hearing people.

If you live in New York State and care about this failure of our lawmakers to do the right thing, please call and write to your elected state senator and demand that the legislature act.

Jerry Bergman,

Director, Advocacy Committee

Hearing Loss Association of New York State