While the majority of ASMP advocacy efforts are focused on legislative actions at the national level in addressing copyright reform, ASMP is also focused on addressing legislative agendas at the state level where proposed bills would harm our members. This is evident in the proposed Right of Publicity legislation introduced in New York State, as referenced in the recent ASMP post “ASMP Memorandum in Opposition to Proposed New York State’s Right of Publicity Legislation“. ASMP took…
Image © Simpson, Gubertz & Heger Editor’s Update on 6.21.17 at 4:10pm: ASMP has just been advised that the New York Assembly ‘s Right of Publicity bill’s sponsor, Assembly Leader, Joe Morelle (D-Rochester), has removed the bill from the floor due to legislative session ending today. ASMP will continue to monitor the situation of this legislation in the New York legislative bodies, but for now, the call to action on this legislation is no longer in play….
Cross-post from pdnpulse.pdnonline.com [by David Walker] A federal jury in Maryland has awarded $900,000 in actual damages to an Oregon-based plant retailer for its claims against a competitor over unauthorized use of two dozen copyrighted images. The jury verdict, delivered last week, also included a $300,000 statutory damages award, but the plaintiff may elect one jury award or the other (not both) under copyright law. Under a Foot Plant Co., owner of a product line…
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman, Chuck Grassley (R- IA), Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), and Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) today introduced the Register of Copyrights Selection and Accountability Act, which makes the Register of Copyrights a presidentially-appointed, Senate-confirmed position. ASMP Executive Director, Tom Kennedy, supports swift Senate action, and a final result of positioning the Copyright Office to have a permanent Register who is committed to driving forward Copyright Office modernization. After HR1695 was passed…
PRESS RELEASE Goodlatte Announces Innovation & Competitiveness Agenda for 115th Congress Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) today announced his Innovation and Competitiveness agenda for the 115th Congress. Below are Chairman Goodlatte’s prepared remarks. Chairman Goodlatte: Good morning. I want to thank everyone for being here today. As you all know I had the privilege of announcing the House Judiciary Committee’s full agenda at an event earlier this year but I…
With the recent relaunch of Find a Photographer and Find an Assistant features to help you connect more fully with potential clients, I wanted to also let you know what else has been happening behind the scenes to this point in 2017. We have chosen to send you a weekly Strictly Business newsletter update so that you are made aware of all that is being offered at ASMP to you as a member. Along with notifying…
© J David Ake ASMP applauds the passage of HR 1695 by the House of Representatives by a decisive vote of 378-48. The bill, which makes the Register of Copyrights a presidential appointee subject to Senate confirmation, now goes to the Senate for its consideration. “I was delighted to see the House pass HR 1695. The selection process will now benefit from Congressional input on potential nominees. I look forward to continuing to work with our advocacy…
Cross-posted from The Hill [by Ralph Oman and Marybeth Peters] Last fall we wrote to Congress expressing our concern about the decaying relationship between the Library of Congress and the Copyright Office. Since that time, the situation has worsened, and, as we predicted, Congress is moving to intervene. We applaud the introduction of the Register of Copyrights Selection and Accountability Act of 2017, H.R. 1695, which would make the Register of Copyrights a presidential appointee subject to Senate…
[Hypebot Op-Ed] Copyright Office legislation is moving through Congress, and the House of Representatives is expected to take up the bill when they return from Easter Recess. In this op-ed, leaders from five leading advocacy organizations come together to explain why this debate is important for all creatives. Guest post by Tom Kennedy, Lara Kisielewska, Akili-Casundria Ramsess, Juliette Wolf-Robin, and David Trust Most everyone knows the phrase “a picture is worth a thousand words.” It captures…
ASMP, along with other organizations, unions, and guilds representing and supporting creators and inventors, express support of H.R. 1695, “The Register of Copyrights Selection and Accountability Act of 2017”, and have submitted an industry letter to Members of Congress requesting their support of the bill. The letter states the following: H.R. 1695 Recognizes the Importance of Copyright to the U.S. Economy, Jobs and Culture: Copyright is critical to the U.S., with core copyright industries contributing over $1.2…