[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6531 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6531

 To amend chapter 13 of title 17, United States Code (relating to the 
 vessel hull design protection), to clarify the definitions of a hull 
                              and a deck.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 17, 2008

   Mr. Berman (for himself, Mr. Coble, Mr. Conyers, and Mr. Smith of 
    Texas) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                       Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend chapter 13 of title 17, United States Code (relating to the 
 vessel hull design protection), to clarify the definitions of a hull 
                              and a deck.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. VESSEL HULL DESIGN PROTECTION.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Vessel Hull Design 
Protection Amendments of 2008''.
    (b) Designs Protected.--Section 1301(a) of title 17, United States 
Code, is amended by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following:
            ``(2) Vessel features.--The design of a vessel hull, deck, 
        or combination of a hull and deck, including a plug or mold, is 
        subject to protection under this chapter, notwithstanding 
        section 1302(4).''.
    (c) Exceptions.--Section 1301(a) of title 17, United States Code, 
is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(3) Exceptions.--Department of Defense rights in a 
        registered design under this chapter, including the right to 
        build to such registered design, shall be determined solely by 
        operation of section 2320 of title 10 or by the instrument 
        under which the design was developed for the United States 
        Government.''.
    (d) Definitions.--Section 1301(b) of title 17, United States Code, 
is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (2), by striking ``vessel hull, including 
        a plug or mold,'' and inserting ``vessel hull or deck, 
        including a plug or mold,'';
            (2) by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the following:
            ``(4) A `hull' is the exterior frame or body of a vessel, 
        exclusive of the deck, superstructure, masts, sails, yards, 
        rigging, hardware, fixtures, and other attachments.''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(7) A `deck' is the horizontal surface of a vessel that 
        covers the hull, including exterior cabin and cockpit surfaces, 
        and exclusive of masts, sails, yards, rigging, hardware, 
        fixtures, and other attachments.''.
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