59.1-258 - Blind bidding" prohibited. - Virginia Statutes

§ 59.1-258. "Blind bidding" prohibited.

A. Blind bidding is hereby prohibited within the Commonwealth. No bids shallbe returnable, no negotiations for the exhibition or licensing of a motionpicture shall take place, and no license agreement or any of its terms shallbe agreed to, for the exhibition of any motion picture within theCommonwealth before the motion picture has either been trade screened withinthe Commonwealth or the District of Columbia or Prince Georges and MontgomeryCounties, Maryland, or before such motion picture, at the option of thedistributor, otherwise has been made available for viewing within theCommonwealth or the District of Columbia or Prince Georges and MontgomeryCounties, Maryland, by all exhibitors from whom the distributor is solicitingbids or with whom the distributor is negotiating for the right to exhibit themotion picture.

B. A distributor shall provide reasonable and uniform notice of the tradescreening of any motion picture to those exhibitors within the Commonwealthfrom whom he intends to solicit bids or with whom he intends to negotiate forthe right to exhibit that motion picture.

C. Any purported waiver of the prohibition against blind bidding in thischapter shall be void and unenforceable.

(1978, c. 764.)