OLYMPIA – A bill requiring Washington movie theaters to provide open captioning options for movie screenings passed the Senate Tuesday.

The Americans with Disabilities Act requires movie theaters to provide viewers with closed captioning devices upon request, but they currently do not have to display subtitles on the main screen for any film screenings. Senate Bill 5486, sponsored by Sen. Tina Orwall (D-Des Moines), improves accessibility in movie theaters by requiring those that charge admission to offer both closed and open captioning options for viewers.

“People in the deaf and hard of hearing community often feel excluded from going to the movies because theaters don’t have open captioning or reliable closed captioning devices,” Orwall said. “This bill is about inclusion and making theaters more accessible for everyone.”

Increasing access to open captioning also accommodates a growing preference to have subtitles on while watching television or movies. Nearly 60% of U.S. adults consistently or occasionally use captioning when watching movies or TV, and people younger than 55 are more likely to use it compared to older adults.

Under the bill, if a movie with open captioning is available and has at least five scheduled screenings, companies with five or more theaters in the state must offer a set number of screenings during different time periods, such as the first two weeks of release and peak business hours. Companies with four or fewer theaters can either follow the same requirement or provide an open-captioned screening within eight days of a request.

Compared to closed captioning, open captioning provides more than just a movie’s dialogue. Karen Atwood, president of the Washington State Association of the Deaf, said open captioning enhances the overall moviegoing experience for people who rely on it.

“It not only gives you the words that are being spoken in a movie, but it gives you information about the ambient noise, a phone ringing, a dog barking, a door closing,” Atwood said during public testimony in the Senate Law & Justice Committee. “Regular closed captions do not often provide this information. This can be, frankly, an educational tool for everyone.”

The bill now moves to the House for consideration. Follow the bill’s progress here.