,,ii #aaith ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #ceag ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,december #ag1 #bjbe,mrs4 ,blackburn 7for herself and ,mr4 ,welch7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on the ,judiciary ,a ,,bill ,to amend title #ag1 ,united ,states ,code1 to reform copyright laws relating to visual artists4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,visual ,artists ,copyright ,reform ,act of #bjbe or ,,vacra4 #b4 ,deposits in connection with copyright registration 7a7 ,exemption of certain works from best edition deposit requirement ,section #djg of title #ag1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7a71 in the matter preceding paragraph 7#a71 by striking subsection 7c7 and inserting subsections 7c7 and 7f72 and 7#b7 by adding at the end the following3 7f7 ,exemption for pictorial1 graphic1 and sculptural works ,the deposit requirements under subsection 7a7 shall not apply to a pictorial1 graphic1 or sculptural work4 4 7b7 ,copyright registration in general ,section #djh7;b7 of title #ag1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#d71 by striking the period at the end and inserting 2 and2 and 7#b7 by inserting after paragraph 7#d7 the following3 7#e7 in the case of a pictorial1 graphic1 or sculptural work1 one complete electronic copy4 4 7c7 ,third-,party registries of photographs 7#a7 ,in general ,chapter #g of title #ag1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #gaa4 ,third-party registries of photographs 7a7 ,regulations 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,register of ,copyrights shall establish regulations providing for the certification of third party registries of photographs4 7#b7 ,conditions of certification ,the regulations established under paragraph 7#a7 shall require that an entity1 as a condition of being certified as a third party registry1 commit to-- 7,a7 collecting and maintaining electronic copies of photographs and related information for the duration of the term of protection of copyright in each photograph2 7,b7 collecting and maintaining1 with respect to each photograph deposited in the registry-- 7i7 the name of each author2 7ii7 the name of each current copyright owner2 7iii7 current contact information for each copyright owner2 7iv7 the date of creation2 7v7 the date on which the photograph was first uploaded to the registry2 and 7vi7 the title2 7,c7 providing a secure1 searchable database of all photographs deposited in the registry at no charge to searchers2 7,d7 providing for the timely transfer of copies of a photograph and all associated information to another third party registry at the request of an author or copyright owner of the photograph2 and 7,e7 making the entirety of the third party registry available for interactive communication of data with systems of the ,copyright ,office without charge4 7b7 ,relation to deposit requirements ,deposit of a photograph in a third party registry shall satisfy the deposit requirements of section #djh4 7c7 ,applicability ,subsections 7a7 and 7b7 shall not apply if the ,register of ,copyright certifies that the ,copyright ,office is in compliance with subsection #dji7;b74 4 7#b7 ,technical and conforming amendment ,the table of sections for chapter #g of title #ag1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #gaa4 ,third-party registries of photographs4 4 #c4 ,group registration of photographs 7a7 ,in general ,section #djh7;c7 of title #ag1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7#d7 7,a7 ,without prejudice to the general authority provided under paragraph 7#a71 the ,register of ,copyrights shall establish regulations specifically permitting a single registration for a group of photographs by the same individual author on the basis of a single application and registration fee1 under the following conditions3 7i7 ,the deposit is made in compliance with either this section or section #gaa and consists only of photographs4 7ii7 ,the group consists of not more than #c1jjj works1 subject to subparagraph 7,b77iii74 7iii7 ,the application identifies each work4 7iv7 ,the applicant provides a title for the group as a whole4 7,b7 7i7 ,the ,register of ,copyrights shall establish regulations under subparagraph 7,a7 for the registration of groups at quantity tiers that accommodate practical creative workflows4 7ii7 ,the regulations established under subparagraph 7,a7 shall permit registration of groups without regard to publication status1 date of publication1 or date of creation4 7iii7 ,the ,register shall amend the regulations established under subparagraph 7,a7 to increase the maximum number of photographs that may be included in a single registration above #c1jjj as technology develops in the marketplace that allows for more efficient registration4 4 7b7 ,technical and conforming amendment ,section #djh7;c77#b7 of title #ag1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by striking clause 7#a7 and inserting paragraph 7#a74 #d4 ,deferred registration ,section #djh of title #ag1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7g7 ,deferred registration of pictorial1 graphic1 and sculptural works 7#a7 ,rulemaking ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this subsection1 the ,register of ,copyrights shall issue regulations to establish procedures for deferred registration of pictorial1 graphic1 and sculptural works4 7#b7 ,application for deferred registration ,an applicant for deferred registration under this subsection shall submit-- 7,a7 to the ,copyright ,office by electronic means-- 7i7 an application for deferred registration of the work or group of works2 and 7ii7 the applicable fee2 and 7,b7 to the ,copyright ,office or a third party registry 7as described in section #gaa71 each corresponding deposit in accordance with this section or section #gaa1 as applicable4 7#c7 ,effective date of registration ,the date on which materials are submitted under paragraph 7#b7 shall be the effective date of registration1 as described in subsection #daj7;d74 7#d7 ,enforcement by ,u4,s4 ,customs and ,border ,protection of works for which copyright registration is pending ,an application for deferred registration under this subsection shall be considered an application for registration under this title with the ,copyright ,office for purposes of section #cjd of the ,trade ,facilitation and ,trade ,enforcement ,act of #bjae 7#ai ,u4,s4,c4 #dcdc74 7#e7 ,examination for registration ,at any time during the subsistence of copyright in a work that was the subject of a deferred registration under this subsection1 the owner of copyright or of any exclusive right in the work may request1 upon payment of the applicable fee1 the examination of that work for registration under subsection 7a74 4 #e4 ,copyright registration application ,section #dji of title #ag1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended-- 7#a7 by inserting 7a7 ,in general4-- before ,the application2 7#b7 in subsection 7a77#h71 as so designated1 by striking the semicolon and inserting the following3 1 unless the work-- 7,a7 is a pictorial1 graphic1 or sculptural work2 7,b7 is a ,united ,states work2 and 7,c7 was created after ,march #a1 #aihi2 2 and 7#c7 by adding at the end the following3 7b7 ,public-,facing interface ,in order to facilitate an efficient process for the submission of an application for copyright registration1 the ,register of ,copyrights shall implement as expeditiously as practicable and maintain a contemporary public-facing interface that is interoperable with software commonly used by professional creators such that the deposits and information required under section #djh and this section can be automatically transmitted and populate an online registration application4 4 #f4 ,retention of deposits ,subsection #gjd7;d7 of title #ag1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended1 in the second sentence1 by inserting and works deposited in electronic format after but1 in the case of unpublished works4 #g4 ,fees ,section #gjh of title #ag1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7a7-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#aj71 by striking and at the end2 7,b7 in paragraph 7#aa71 by striking the period at the end and inserting 2 and2 and 7,c7 by inserting after paragraph 7#aa7 the following3 7#ab7 on filing an application under section #djh7;g7 for deferred registration1 which fee shall be not more than one-half of the fee for filing a standard application under section #djh4 2 7#b7 in subsection 7b7-- 7,a7 in the matter preceding paragraph 7#a71 by inserting and 7#aa7 after 7#a7 through 7#i72 7,b7 in paragraph 7#d71 by inserting before the period at the end the following3 1 including ensuring that professional creators can afford to register all their works2 and 7,c7 by adding at the end the following3 7#f7 ,the ,register shall provide reduced fees for individual authors and small business entities4 2 and 7#c7 by adding at the end the following3 7f7 ,registration subscriptions for pictorial1 graphic1 and sculptural works 7#a7 ,rulemaking ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of the ,visual ,artists ,copyright ,reform ,act of #bjbe1 the ,register of ,copyrights shall establish regulations providing for yearly and periodic registration subscriptions for the registration of pictorial1 graphic1 and sculptural works4 7#b7 ,subscription fees ,the ,register shall set and adjust fees for subscriptions described in paragraph 7#a7 in accordance with subsection 7b74 7#c7 ,applications under section #djh ,notwithstanding paragraphs 7#a7 and 7#ab7 of subsection 7a71 the ,register may not require a fee on filing an application under section #djh for registration of a copyright claim1 supplementary registration1 or deferred registration if the applicant has paid for a yearly or periodic subscription under this subsection and the application is submitted during the term of the subscription4 4