,i  #aag? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #cigh  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(           
,,repres5tatives  ,june #ag1 #bjba,mr4  
,burgess introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 
ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,en]gy &      
,comm]ce  ,a ,,bill  ,to make x unlawful
 to s5d a dem& lett] 9 bad fai? = a     
pat5t relat+ to ,,covid-#ai relat$      
products1 & = o!r purposes4  #a4 ,%ort  
title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,vacc9e 
,t>get+ ,rogue & ,opaque ,lett]s ,act ( 
#bjba or ! ,vacc9e ,,trol ,act ( #bjba4 
#b4 ,susp5sion ( dem& lett]s relat$ to  
,,covid-#ai  7a7 ,susp5d+ dem& lett]s   
relat$ to ,,covid-#ai ,= ! duration ( a 
public heal? em]g5cy decl>$ pursuant to 
section #cai ( ! ,public ,heal? ,s]vice 
,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bdg;d7 z a result (
 confirm$ cases ( #bjai novel           
coronavirus 7,,covid-#ai71 includ+ any  
r5ewal !re(1 x %all be unlawful = any   
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+$1 a pat5t reg>d+ ,,covid-#ai
 relat$ products & 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 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 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 ,presumption ( bad 
fai? ,a writt5 communication is presum$ 
to h be5 s5t 9 bad fai? if1 aft] receiv+
 a writt5 reque/ by ! recipi5t to       
provide any ( ! in=mation requir$ 9     
subsection 7a77#c7 or a pat5t claim     
reasonably believ$ to h be5 infr+$1 !   
s5d] fails to provide su* in=mation to !

 recipi5t )9 #aj bus9ess days aft] !    
date on :i* ! reque/ is receiv$4  7c7   
,affirmative def5se ,) respect to       
subsection 7a71 !re %all be an          
affirmative def5se t a /atem5t1         
repres5tation1 or omission 0 n made 9   
bad fai? 7z def9$ 9 subp>agraphs 7,b7 or
 7,c7 ( section #d7a77 if ! s5d] c      
demon/rate t su* /atem5t1 repres5tation1
 or omission 0 a mi/ake 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$ures or
 policies reasonably adapt$ to avoid any
 su* error4  7d7 ,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  7d7 ,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 p5alties on behalf (
 recipi5ts :o suff]$ actual damages z a 
result ( su* violation4  7#b7 ,maximum  
civil p5alty ,n)/&+ ! 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 #a1jjj1jjj = e dea? relat$
 to ,,covid-#ai 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates4  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  #d4           
,def9itions ,9 ?is ,act3 7#a7 ,bad fai? 
,! t]m bad fai? means1 ) respect to     
section #b1 t ! s5d]-- 7,a7 made a      

kn[+ly false or kn[+ly mislead+ /atem5t1
 repres5tation1 or omission2  7,b7 made 
a /atem5t1 repres5tation1 or omission ) 
reckless indiff]5ce z to ! false or     
mislead+ nature ( su* /atem5t1          
repres5tation1 or omission2 or  7,c7    
made a /atem5t1 repres5tation1 or       
omission ) aw>5ess ( ! high probability 
( ! /atem5t1 repres5tation1 or omission 
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