Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie

Filed: 5/23/2014

 

 


 

 


 
09800SB1099ham001LRB098 05364 DRJ 60166 a

1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 1099

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 1099 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 5. The Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business
5Practices Act is amended by adding Section 2RRR as follows:
 
6    (815 ILCS 505/2RRR new)
7    Sec. 2RRR. Unfair or deceptive copyright infringement
8demand letters.
9    (a) As used in this Section:
10    "Affiliated person" means a person affiliated with the
11intended recipient of a written or electronic communication.
12    "Intended recipient" means a person who receives a written
13communication alleging that he or she engaged in conduct that
14allegedly violates the copyright protection available to
15another person.
16    (b) It is an unlawful practice under this Act for a person,

 

 

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1in connection with the assertion of a United States copyright,
2to send or cause any person to send any written, including
3electronic, communication that states that the intended
4recipient or any affiliated person is infringing or has
5infringed a copyright and bears liability or owes compensation
6to another person, if:
7        (1) the communication falsely threatens that
8    administrative or judicial relief will be sought if
9    compensation is not paid or the infringement issue is not
10    otherwise resolved;
11        (2) the communication falsely states that litigation
12    has been filed against the intended recipient or any
13    affiliated person;
14        (3) the assertions contained in the communication lack
15    a reasonable basis in fact or law because:
16            (A) the person asserting the copyright is not a
17        person, or does not represent a person, with the
18        current right to license the copyright to or enforce
19        the copyright against the intended recipient or any
20        affiliated person;
21            (B) the communication seeks compensation on
22        account of activities undertaken after the copyright
23        has expired;
24            (C) the conduct at issue does not infringe one of
25        the protected rights of a copyright holder;
26            (D) the alleged infringement at issue has been

 

 

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1        previously ruled by a court to fall within a fair use
2        exemption; or
3            (E) the alleged infringement at issue is
4        permissible under any applicable End User License
5        Agreement.
6        (4) the content of the communication fails to include
7    information necessary to inform an intended recipient or
8    any affiliated person about the copyright assertion by
9    failing to include the following:
10            (A) the identity of the person asserting a right to
11        license the copyright to or enforce the copyright
12        against the intended recipient or any affiliated
13        person;
14            (B) any registration that was filed with the United
15        States Copyright Office;
16            (C) the factual allegations concerning the
17        specific areas in which the intended recipient's or
18        affiliated person's actions infringed the copyright or
19        are covered by the claims in the copyright;
20            (D) the content of the communication fails to
21        clearly state in bold font that no court has yet made a
22        determination that the intended recipient has
23        infringed or is liable in any way for payment of
24        damages; and
25            (E) any factual information necessary to conclude
26        that the work at issue is protected by copyright law.

 

 

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1    (c) Nothing in this Section shall be construed to deem it
2an unlawful practice for any person who owns or has the right
3to license or enforce a copyright to:
4        (1) advise others of that ownership or right of license
5    or enforcement;
6        (2) communicate to others that the copyright is
7    available for license or sale;
8        (3) notify another of the infringement of the
9    copyright; or
10        (4) seek compensation on account of past or present
11    infringement or for a license to the copyright.
12    (d) Nothing in this Section shall be construed to apply to
13take-down notices from copyright owners to service providers
14under the Digital Millenium Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. 512.
 
15    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January
161, 2015.".