The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced it expects to issue a proposed rule in October 2013 addressing the requirements for captioning and video description of movies exhibited in movie theatres under title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). Title III prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in the activities of places of public accommodation.

An advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) published on July 26, 2010, gives some insight into what the new proposed rule will entail. In the ANPRM, the DOJ said it was considering a regulation that would contain a sliding compliance schedule whereby the percentage of movie screens offering closed captioning and video description would increase by 10 percent on a yearly basis—until reaching the 50 percent mark in the fifth year. NATO submitted comments in response to the ANPRM in which it argued that requiring that 25% of screens be equipped would provide wide-spread access for persons with disabilities.

  • Department of Justice Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

DOJ-CRT-2010-0007-0001

  • NATO Response

NATO Statement

NATO Responses

Attach A – DOJ-NPRM-NATO Comments 2008

Attach B – NATO Amicus Curiae Brief