Democratic Connecticut state Sen. Martin Looney proposed a bill that would require Connecticut movie theaters to publish a film’s actual start time.
Moviegoers know that times listed on movie tickets indicate when the previews begin, not the actual movie.
If passed, S.B. 797 would require theaters to publish both times on tickets.
“It seems to be an abuse of people’s time,” Looney told The Register Citizen. “If they want to get there early and watch the promos, they can. But if they just want to see the feature, they ought to be able to get there just in time for that.”
So far, the only pushback has been from theater managers, Looney said, according to KNOE.
After all, they want people actually watching the previews.
A Connecticut lawmaker has introduced a bill that would require theaters to disclose exactly how long movie previews are so that moviegoers can skip them entirely. This is a terrible idea. https://t.co/ZQ4g61X6tb
— Vulture (@vulture) February 4, 2025
Peter H. Gistelinck, executive director at the Avon Theatre in Stamford, Connecticut, said his theater is financially reliant on them, per the Register Citizen.
Is this bill the definition of government meddling and overreach?
“This is kind of a strange bill,” Gistelinck said. “We, as an independent movie house, are financially dependent on our previews, as well as our overall messaging, including commercials.
“We always announce the start time of our screenings, so that our patrons can enjoy the whole experience.”
Here’s a great rule:
Anything you miss after the showtime stated is YOUR fault.
— Alex Marshall (@amarshtheboy) February 5, 2025
Nevertheless, Looney asserted that it’s a bill his constituents asked for.
“There are usually bigger issues than movie times, and I’m a sponsor of most of those, as you may know,” Looney said, according to KNOE. “But this is something that’s a matter of truth in advertising and that people are complaining about.
“I’ve gotten a number of calls from constituents that say, ‘Oh, yeah, I feel that that’s outrageous that I’m stuck there for a half an hour watching stuff before a movie actually starts and make me late for dinner after I had to pay a babysitter more.’ Those are real practical issues that come up.”
As of Monday, the bill was still in the “Vote to Draft” phase.
Looney is currently the Connecticut Senate’s president pro tempore — the highest ranking legislator in Connecticut’s General Assembly, according to the Register Citizen.
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