The proposed legislation, General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 232, aims to regulate the volume of commercial advertisements transmitted by streaming video service providers. Effective October 1, 2026, the bill defines key terms such as "streaming video service," "commercial advertisement," and "streaming video service provider," and establishes that, starting July 1, 2027, these providers must ensure that the audio volume of commercial advertisements does not exceed the volume levels set by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for television broadcast stations and multichannel video programming distributors.

Additionally, the bill allows streaming video service providers to apply for a waiver if compliance would cause significant financial hardship. The waiver application process is outlined, requiring providers to submit relevant information to the Department of Consumer Protection, which will review and decide on the application within thirty days. Violations of the volume regulation will be classified as unfair trade practices, but the bill clarifies that it does not create a private right of action for individuals. The bill also grants the Commissioner of Consumer Protection the authority to adopt regulations to implement these provisions.