[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1640 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1640

 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.


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                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 18, 2007

   Mr. Leahy (for himself, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Kohl, and Mr. Whitehouse) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 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 section may be cited as the ``Vessel Hull 
Design Protection Amendments of 2007''.
    (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) 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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