04/18/2026
If a theater that the law requires to offer regular open caption screenings (see our previously posted list https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1bZ4PKZajJ/) is not offering regular open captions as of July 1, 2026, you have the right to submit a public accommodation complaint to the Virginia Office of Civil Rights.
How can you do this? Read on - this is long, but important information. Recommend you print it and keep it handy.
Start: https://www.oag.state.va.us/citizen-resources/civil-rights
On that page, there are two ways to submit a complaint: 1) Online 2) Paper.
Online Instructions
If you use the online form (direct link is https://vaoag.my.site.com/OAG/s/complaint-type):
For Complaint Type select Place of Public Accommodation/Educational Institution Discrimination
Click "Next"
On the next page there is a red-starred notice. Check the notice.
Look at the right side of the page. There is a un-numbered list of steps, with markers showing where you are in the complaint filing process. Continue through that process, clicking "Next" after each step.
On the Discrimination Type and Reason step, check "Place of Public Accommodation." Under Discrimination Reason, whether or not you have a disability that means you need open captions, select "Disability." The Discrimination Reason is mandatory, so you have to check "Disability" even if you don't have a disability.
For the next step, "Place of business/Organization" you will need the address of the movie theater. If you don't know the theater's address, go to the theater's web page or google the address. If you don't know the theater General Manager's name, just put "N/A" or write "General Manager." The last box is meant for educational institutions; put N/A.
On the Discrimination Details page, fully describe in your own words what happened: You're deaf/hard of hearing/need or want open captions. You wanted to see a movie on 7/1/2026 (whatever the date is of the movie you wanted to see). You checked theater ###x's website. No open caption screenings. You checked the entire week's listings. No open caption screenings. Therefore, theater ###X is in violation of Virginia's new open caption law, which took effect July 1, 2026.
The next box asks for the reason(s) for the discrimination against you. If you had confronted the theater management to ask why no open captions, this would be a good place to put that information.
The bottom of the page has an option for uploading files. This would be a good place to upload for example screenshots proving that the theater did not have any open caption screenings for an entire week.
The next page is "Discrimination Based on Disability." At top of page, select "I have a disability" if you have a disability; if you do not have a disability, select "No disability but I am treated as if I am disabled." (That last one is not really appropriate for non-disabled people who just like or want open captions but is the only available option.)
For the box that asks what the disability is, put down deaf/hard of hearing if you have hearing loss. For any other condition (dyslexia, autism, adhd, noise sensitive) put that down.
The next box asks about medication/equipment. Not really applicable for open captions. Just put down "N/A."
The next group of boxes asks if you had asked for assistance or accommodation for your disability and to provide details. Since under the law you are not required to request open captions at theaters that are required to have regular open caption screenings, enter "N/A."
After that, the next page is "Legal Information." Select "No" for both questions.
The last two pages are the Preview and Submission/Acknowledgment pages.
Attorney General of Virginia
