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REP. JEFFRIES’ BIPARTISAN ARTIST RIGHTS BILL OVERWHELMINGLY PASSES HOUSE
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Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement (CASE) Act, a bipartisan bill sponsored by U.S. Representatives Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Doug Collins (R-GA). The CASE Act creates a small claims board in the U.S. Copyright Office and provides an affordable and reliable alternative for small creators to protect their work under the law.
The bill passed the House in a sweeping 410-6 bipartisan vote.
Rep. Jeffries said: “The establishment of the Copyright Claims Board is critical for the creative middle class who deserve to benefit from the fruits of their labor. Copyright enforcement is essential to ensure that these artists, writers, musicians and other creators are able to commercialize their creative work in order to earn a livelihood. The CASE Act will enable creators to enforce copyright protected content in a fair, timely and affordable manner. This legislation is a strong step in the right direction.”
Small creators victimized by infringement have a right to enforce their work under copyright law, but are typically unable to do so due to financial barriers and limited resources out of their reach. The average cost of litigating an infringement case in federal court is approximately $379,000; the total amount of damages that can be awarded cannot exceed $30,000.
Highlights of the CASE Act:
- The CASE Act would create the Copyright Claims Board at the Copyright Office. The board would be made up of subject matter experts who would hear and rule on these small claims cases.
- The CASE Act would cap statutory damages at $15,000 per claim (a mere 10% of what a plaintiff could be awarded in district court) and total damages at $30,000 per case.
- The CASE Act would allow proceedings to be undertaken over the phone and online, without an attorney.
Numerous supporters of the bill include: AFL-CIO, American Association of Independent Music, American Intellectual Property Law Association, American Society for Collective Rights Licensing, American Society of Media Photographers, Association of Health Care Journalists, Chamber of Commerce of the United States, Copyright Alliance, Digital Media Licensing Association, Future of Music Coalition, Graphic Artists Guild, Institute for Intellectual Property and Social Justice, Latin Recording Academy, MusicAnswers, NAACP, National Black Chamber of Commerce, National Music Publishers Association, National Writers Union/UAW Local 1981, North American Nature Photography Association, Professional Photographers of America, Recording Industry Association of America, Rhythm & Blues Foundation, Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), Songpreneurs, Songwriters of North America, U.S. Black Chambers, Inc., ACT| the App Association, Alliance for Women Film Composers, American Bar Association, American Conservative Union, American Photographic Artists, American Society of Journalists and Authors, Association of American Publishers, Authors Guild, Conservatives for Property Rights, CreativeFuture, Dramatists Guild of America, Garden Communicators International, Horror Writers’ Association, International Authors Forum, Living Legends Foundation, Nashville Songwriters Association International, National Press Photographers Association, News Media Alliance, Novelists, Inc., Recording Academy, Romance Writers of America, Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators, Society of Composers and Lyricists, Songwriters Guild of America, SoundExchange, Inc. and the United States Veterans' Artist Alliance.
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