Library of Congress 2022 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Copyright Royalty Judges publish final regulations that set rates and terms applicable during the period from January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2027, for the statutory license for making and distributing phonorecords of nondramatic musical works.

The U.S. Copyright Office is amending its regulations governing the appearance of law student representatives before the Copyright Claims Board, district court referrals, proof of service forms, and default proceedings. The amendments allow the Copyright Claims Board to modify or suspend certain rules when a claim is referred by a district court and, in cases that are first filed before the Copyright Claims Board, accept alternative proof of service forms. The amendments also clarify the rules governing default proceedings and law student representation, and make certain technical corrections.

The Copyright Royalty Judges solicit comments on a motion of the Allocation Parties for further partial distribution of 2015-2017 satellite royalty funds.

The Copyright Royalty Judges announce a cost of living adjustment (COLA) of 7.7% in the royalty rates satellite carriers pay for a compulsory license under the Copyright Act. The COLA is based on the change in the Consumer Price Index from October 2021 to October 2022.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the United States Copyright Office (USCO) (collectively, the Offices) are conducting a joint study regarding issues of intellectual property (IP) law and policy associated with non-fungible tokens (NFTs). The Offices seek public comments on these matters to assist in their work on IP policy related to NFTs and in conducting the study. In addition, the Offices are announcing a series of three public roundtables to allow them to gather further input.

The Copyright Royalty Judges publish for comment and objection proposed regulations that set rates and terms applicable during the period from January 1, 2023, through December 31, 2027, for the section 115 statutory license for making and distributing phonorecords of nondramatic musical works.

The U.S. Copyright Office is amending certain regulations related to remitter payments for its services and requirements for maintaining a deposit account. This final rule adopts regulatory language set forth in the Office's February 2022 notice of proposed rulemaking with some modifications in response to public comments. These amendments consolidate regulatory provisions related to payment options and update existing regulations to articulate current Office practices. They also simplify requirements for maintaining a deposit account and clarify procedures related to noncompliant accounts.

The U.S. Copyright Office is amending its regulations to establish procedures governing the initial stages of a Copyright Claims Board proceeding. The regulations provide requirements regarding filing a claim, the Board's compliance review, service, notice of the claim, the respondent's opt-out election, responses, and counterclaims.

The U.S. Copyright Office is issuing a final rule regarding the procedures for libraries and archives to preemptively opt out of proceedings before the Copyright Claims Board (``CCB'') and the procedures for a party before the CCB with respect to a class action proceeding, under the Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement Act of 2020.

The U.S. Copyright Office is issuing a notice of proposed rulemaking regarding regulations related to remitter payments for Office services and requirements for maintaining a deposit account. Currently, payment options are addressed in various sections of Office regulations, and the method of payment accepted varies depending on the service provided. Additionally, payment methods currently referenced in the regulations may not necessarily reflect the types that the Office can accept or may choose to accept in the future. Amendments in this rulemaking are intended to consolidate regulatory provisions related to payment options and update regulations to articulate current Office practices. The Office also is proposing to simplify requirements for maintaining a deposit account and to clarify procedures related to noncompliant accounts. The Office invites public comments on this proposed rule.