Copyright Clause Restoration Act of 2023
Source: Congress.gov ·
540 words in original text
What This Bill Does
This bill changes how long copyright protection lasts for creative works like books, music and movies. Instead of the current copyright length, works would be protected for 28 years from when they are first created, with the option to extend that protection for another 28 years if the copyright holder requests it in time.
Who It Affects
Copyright holders (people or companies who own the rights to creative works). Companies with market values over 150 billion dollars that work in publishing, music, film or related industries. People who currently hold licenses to use copyrighted works from those large companies.
Key Provisions
• Copyright protection lasts for 28 years from the date a work is first created, and copyright holders can request one 28-year extension if they ask during the year before the first term ends (Sec. 2(a)).
• This new copyright length applies to all works created on or after the bill becomes law (Sec. 2(b)(1)).
• For works already created and owned by very large companies (those worth more than 150 billion dollars in specific industries), the new 28-year rule can apply retroactively starting May 1, 2023 (Sec. 2(b)(2)(A)).
• If someone is currently using a copyrighted work under a license agreement and that copyright would expire within 10 years under the new rules, they can keep using it for either 50 percent of the remaining time or 10 years, whichever is shorter (Sec. 2(b)(2)(B)).
What Changes
The length of copyright protection would become 28 years instead of current law. Companies would need to actively request renewal during a specific one-year window to extend their copyright for another 28 years. Some existing licenses would continue longer than the new copyright expiration dates under certain conditions.
Important Definitions
• Market capitalization: The total value of a company's stock.
• North American Industry Classification System codes 5121 or 71: Industry classification codes for publishing, sound recording and entertainment industries (the bill does not further define what these codes mean).
Effective Date
The bill applies to works created on or after the date it becomes law. Some retroactive rules apply to copyrights owned by large companies starting May 1, 2023. Not specified in bill text when this bill would actually become law.
Important: This plain English summary was generated by AI and is provided for informational purposes only.
It is not legal advice. Always consult the official bill text on Congress.gov
or a qualified attorney for legal matters.