,,ib  ,union ,cal5d> ,no4 #fhh  #aad?   
,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4 ,r4 #bjde
  ,report ,no4 #aad-hgg  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se 
,,( ,,repres5tatives  ,april #bh1 #bjae 
,mr4 ,burgess 7= himself1 ,ms4 ,kaptur1 
,mr4 ,lance1 ,mr4 ,h>p]1 ,mr4 ,mull91 & 
,mr4 ,k9z+] ( ,ill9ois7 introduc$ !     
foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to !          
,committee on ,en]gy & ,comm]ce         
,decemb] #af1 #bjaf ,additional         
sponsors3 ,mr4 ,flem+ & ,mr4 ,brooks (  
,alabama  ,decemb] #af1 #bjaf ,committ$ 
to ! ,committee ( ! ,:ole ,h\se on !    
,/ate ( ! ,union & ord]$ to be pr9t$  ,a
 ,,bill  ,to provide t c]ta9 bad fai?   
communications 9 connection ) ! ass]tion
 ( a ,unit$ ,/ates pat5t are unfair or  
deceptive acts or practices1 & = o!r    
purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may
 be cit$ z ! ,t>get+ ,rogue & ,opaque   
,lett]s ,act ( #bjae4  #b4 ,unfair or   
deceptive acts or practices 9 connection
 ) ! ass]tion ( a ,unit$ ,/ates pat5t   
7a7 ,9 g5]al ,x %all be an unfair or    
deceptive act or practice )9 ! mean+ (  

section #e7;a77#a7 ( ! ,f$]al ,trade    
,commission ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4         
#de7;a77#a77 = a p]son1 9 connection ) !
 ass]tion ( a ,unit$ ,/ates pat5t1 to   
engage 9 a patt]n or practice ( s5d+    
writt5 communications t /ate or repres5t
 t ! recipi5ts are or may be infr++1 or 
h or may h infr+$1 ! pat5t & be>        
liability or owe comp5sation to ano!r1  
if--  7#a7 ! s5d] ( ! communications1 9 
bad fai?1 /ates or repres5ts 9 !        
communications t-- 7,a7 ! s5d] is a     
p]son ) ! "r to lic5se or en=ce ! pat5t 
at ! "t ! communications are s5t1 & !   
s5d] is n a p]son ) su* a "r2  7,b7 a   
civil action ass]t+ a claim ( infr+em5t 
( ! pat5t has be5 fil$ aga9/ ! recipi5t2
  7,c7 a civil action ass]t+ a claim (  
infr+em5t ( ! pat5t has be5 fil$ aga9/  
o!r p]sons2  7,d7 legal action =        
infr+em5t ( ! pat5t w be tak5 aga9/ !   
recipi5t2  7,e7 ! s5d] is ! exclusive   
lic5see ( ! pat5t ass]t$ 9 !            
communications2  7,f7 p]sons o!r ?an !  
recipi5t pur*as$ a lic5se = ! pat5t     

ass]t$ 9 ! communications2  7,g7 p]sons 
o!r ?an ! recipi5t pur*as$ a lic5se1 & !
 s5d] does n disclose t su* lic5se is   
unrelat$ to ! alleg$ infr+em5t or !     
pat5t ass]t$ 9 ! communications2  7,h7  
an inve/igation ( ! recipi5t's alleg$   
infr+em5t occurr$2 or  7,i7 ! s5d] or an
 affiliate ( ! s5d] previ\sly fil$ a    
civil action ass]t+ a claim ( infr+em5t 
( ! pat5t bas$ on ! activity t is !     
subject ( ! writt5 communication :5 !   
s5d] knew su* activity 0 held1 9 a f9al 
det]m9ation1 n to infr+e ! pat5t2  7#b7 
! s5d] ( ! communications1 9 bad fai?1  
seeks comp5sation =-- 7,a7 a pat5t claim
 t has be5 held to be un5=ceable due to 
inequitable conduct1 invalid1 or o!rwise
 un5=ceable aga9/ ! recipi5t1 9 a f9al  
det]m9ation2  7,b7 activities und]tak5  
by ! recipi5t aft] expiration ( ! pat5t 
ass]t$ 9 ! communications2 or  7,c7     
activity ( ! recipi5t t ! s5d] knew 0   
au?oriz$1 ) respect to ! pat5t claim or 
claims t are ! subject ( !              
communications1 by a p]son ) ! "r to    

lic5se ! pat5t2 or  7#c7 ! s5d] ( !     
communications1 9 bad fai?1 fails to    
include-- 7,a7 ! id5tity ( ! p]son      
ass]t+ a "r to lic5se ! pat5t to1 or    
en=ce ! pat5t aga9/1 ! recipi5t1 includ+
 ! id5tity ( any p>5t entity & !        
ultimate p>5t entity ( su* p]son1 unless
 su* p]son is a public company & ! "n ( 
! public company is id5tifi$2  7,b7 an  
id5tification ( at lea/ "o pat5t issu$  
by ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,pat5t & ,tradem>k   
,(fice alleg$ to h be5 infr+$2  7,c7 an 
id5tification1 to ! ext5t reasonable "u 
! circum/ances1 ( at lea/ "o product1   
s]vice1 or o!r activity ( ! recipi5t t  
is alleg$ to infr+e ! id5tifi$ pat5t2   
7,d7 a description1 to ! ext5t          
reasonable "u ! circum/ances1 ( h[ !    
product1 s]vice1 or o!r activity ( !    
recipi5t infr+es an id5tifi$ pat5t &    
pat5t claim2 or  7,e7 a "n & contact    
in=mation = a p]son ! recipi5t may      
contact ab\t ! ass]tions or claims      
relat+ to ! pat5t conta9$ 9 !           
communications4  7b7 ,affirmative def5se

 ,) respect to subsection 7a71 !re %all 
be an affirmative def5se t /atem5ts1    
repres5tations1 or omissions 7 n made 9 
bad fai? 7z def9$ 9 subp>agraphs 7,b7 & 
7,c7 ( section #e7a77 if ! s5d] c       
demon/rate t su* /atem5ts1              
repres5tations1 or omissions 7 mi/akes  
made 9 good fai?1 :i* may be demon/rat$ 
by a prepond]ance ( evid5ce t !         
violation 0 n int5tional & result$ f a  
bona fide error not)/&+ ! ma9t5ance (   
proc$ures reasonably adapt$ to avoid any
 su* error4  7c7 ,rule ( con/ruction ,= 
purposes ( sections #c & #d1 !          
commission ( an act or practice t is    
decl>$ "u ?is section to be an unfair or
 deceptive act or practice )9 ! mean+ ( 
section #e7;a77#a7 ( ! ,f$]al ,trade    
,commission ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4         
#de7;a77#a77 %all be consid]$ to be a   
violation ( ?is section4  #c4 ,en=cem5t 
by ,f$]al ,trade ,commission  7a7       
,violation ( rule ,a violation ( section
 #b %all be treat$ z a violation ( a    
rule def9+ an unfair or deceptive act or

 practice prescrib$ "u section          
#ah7;a77#a77;,b7 ( ! ,f$]al ,trade      
,commission ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4         
#eg;a7a77#a77;,b774  7b7 ,p[]s (        
,commission ,! ,commission %all en=ce   
?is ,act 9 ! same mann]1 by ! same      
means1 & ) ! same jurisdiction1 p[]s1 & 
duties z ?\gh all applicable t]ms &     
provisions ( ! ,f$]al ,trade ,commission
 ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #da et seq47 7     
incorporat$ into & made a "p ( ?is ,act4
 ,any p]son :o violates section #b %all 
be subject to ! p5alties & entitl$ to ! 
privileges & immunities provid$ 9 !     
,f$]al ,trade ,commission ,act4  7c7    
,effect on o!r laws ,no?+ 9 ?is ,act    
%all be con/ru$ 9 any way to limit or   
affect ! au?ority ( ! ,commission "u any
 o!r provision ( law4  #d4 ,preemption (
 ,/ate laws on pat5t dem& lett]s &      
en=cem5t by ,/ate attorneys g5]al  7a7  
,preemption  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,?is ,act    
preempts any law1 rule1 regulation1     
requirem5t1 /&>d1 or o!r provision hav+ 
! =ce & effect ( law ( any ,/ate1 or    

political subdivision ( a ,/ate1        
expressly relat+ to ! transmission or   
cont5ts ( communications relat+ to !    
ass]tion ( pat5t rights4  7#b7 ,effect  
on o!r ,/ate laws ,except z provid$ 9   
p>agraph 7#a71 ?is ,act %all n be       
con/ru$ to preempt or limit any         
provision ( any ,/ate law1 includ+ any  
,/ate consum] protection law1 any ,/ate 
law relat+ to acts ( fraud or deception1
 & any ,/ate trespass1 contract1 or tort
 law4  7b7 ,en=cem5t by ,/ate attorneys 
g5]al  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,9 any case 9 :i* !
 attorney g5]al ( a ,/ate has reason to 
believe t an int]e/ ( ! resid5ts ( t    
,/ate has be5 adv]sely affect$ by any   
p]son :o violates section #b1 ! attorney
 g5]al ( ! ,/ate1 may br+ a civil action
 on behalf ( su* resid5ts ( ! ,/ate 9 a 
di/rict c\rt ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates (        
appropriate jurisdiction--  7,a7 to     
enjo9 fur!r su* violation by ! def5dant2
 or  7,b7 to obta9 civil p5alties4  7#b7
 ,maximum civil p5alty ,not)/&+ ! numb] 
( actions :i* may be br\ght aga9/ a     

p]son "u ?is subsection1 a p]son may n  
be liable = a total ( m ?an #e1jjj1jjj =
 a s]ies ( relat$ violations ( section  
#b4  7#c7 ,int]v5tion by ! ,,ftc  7,a7  
,notice & int]v5tion ,! attorney g5]al (
 a ,/ate %all provide prior writt5      
notice ( any action "u p>agraph 7#a7 to 
! ,commission & provide ! ,commission ) 
a copy ( ! compla9t 9 ! action1 except 9
 any case 9 :i* su* prior notice is n   
feasible1 9 :i* case ! attorney g5]al   
%all s]ve su* notice imm$iately ^u      
in/itut+ su* action4 ,! ,commission %all
 h ! "r--  7i7 to int]v5e 9 ! action2   
7ii7 ^u s int]v5+1 to be he>d on all    
matt]s aris+ !re92 &  7iii7 to file     
petitions = appeal4  7,b7 ,limitation on
 ,/ate action :ile ,f$]al action is p5d+
 ,if ! ,commission has in/itut$ a civil 
action = violation ( section #b1 no     
,/ate attorney g5]al may br+ an action  
"u ?is subsection dur+ ! p5d5cy ( t     
action aga9/ any def5dant nam$ 9 !      
compla9t ( ! ,commission = any violation
 ( su* section alleg$ 9 ! compla9t4     

7#d7 ,con/ruction ,= purposes ( br++ any
 civil action "u p>agraph 7#a71 no?+ 9  
?is ,act %all be con/ru$ to prev5t !    
attorney g5]al ( a ,/ate f ex]cis+ !    
p[]s conf]r$ on ! attorney g5]al by !   
laws ( t ,/ate to-- 7,a7 conduct        
inve/igations2  7,b7 adm9i/] oa?s or    
affirmations2 or  7,c7 compel !         
att5dance ( witnesses or ! production ( 
docum5t>y & o!r evid5ce4  #e4           
,def9itions ,9 ?is ,act3 7#a7 ,bad fai? 
,! t]m bad fai? means1 ) respect to     
section #b7;a71 t ! s5d]--  7,a7 made   
kn[+ly false or kn[+ly mislead+         
/atem5ts1 repres5tations1 or omissions2 
7,b7 made /atem5ts1 repres5tations1 or  
omissions ) reckless indiff]5ce z to !  
false or mislead+ nature ( su* /atem5ts1
 repres5tations1 or omissions2 or  7,c7 
made /atem5ts1 repres5tations1 or       
omissions ) aw>5ess ( ! high probability
 ( ! /atem5ts1 repres5tations1 or       
omissions to deceive & ! s5d]           
int5tionally avoid$ ! tru?4  7#b7       
,commission ,! t]m ,commission means !  

,f$]al ,trade ,commission4  7#c7 ,f9al  
det]m9ation ,! t]m f9al det]m9ation     
means1 ) respect to ! invalidity or     
un5=ceability ( a pat5t1 t ! invalidity 
or un5=ceability has be5 det]m9$ by a   
c\rt ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates or ! ,unit$      
,/ates ,pat5t & ,tradem>k ,(fice 9 a    
f9al decision t is unappealable or = :i*
 any opportunity = appeal is no long]   
available4  ,decemb] #af1 #bjaf         
,committ$ to ! ,committee ( ! ,:ole     
,h\se on ! ,/ate ( ! ,union & ord]$ to  
be pr9t$