    [United States Statutes at Large, Volume 132, 115th Congress, 2nd Session]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    Public Law 115-259
    115th Congress

    An Act

    To amend the Small Business Act to expand intellectual property
    education and training for small businesses, and for other
    purposes. <>

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
    United States of America in Congress assembled, <>
    SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Small Business Innovation Protection
    Act of 2017''.
    SEC. 2. <>  DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act--
    (1) the term ``Administrator'' means the Administrator of
    the SBA;
    (2) the term ``Director'' means the Under Secretary of
    Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO;
    (3) the term ``SBA'' means the Small Business
    Administration;
    (4) the term ``small business concern'' has the meaning
    given the term in section 3(a) of the Small Business Act (15
    U.S.C. 632(a));
    (5) the term ``small business development center'' means a
    center described in section 21 of the Small Business Act (15
    U.S.C. 648); and
    (6) the term ``USPTO'' means the United States Patent and
    Trademark Office.
    SEC. 3. <>  FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
    (1) the USPTO and the SBA are positioned to--
    (A) build upon several successful intellectual
    property and training programs aimed at small business
    concerns; and
    (B) increase the availability of and the
    participation in the programs described in subparagraph
    (A) across the United States; and
    (2) any education and training program administered by the
    USPTO and the SBA should be scalable so that the program is able
    to reach more small business concerns.
    SEC. 4. SBA AND USPTO PARTNERSHIPS.

    (a) <>
    In General.--Beginning not later than 180 days after the date of
    enactment of this Act, the Administrator, in consultation with the
    Director, shall develop partnership agreements that--
    (1) provide for the--

    [[Page 3665]]

    (A) development of high-quality training, including
    in-person or modular training sessions, for small
    business concerns relating to domestic and international
    protection of intellectual property;
    (B) leveraging of training materials already
    developed for the education of inventors and small
    business concerns; and
    (C) participation of a nongovernmental organization;
    and
    (2) provide training--
    (A) through electronic resources, including
    Internet-based webinars; and
    (B) at physical locations, including--
    (i) a small business development center; and
    (ii) the headquarters or a regional office of
    the USPTO.
    SEC. 5. SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTERS.

    Section 21(c)(3) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 648(c)(3)) is
    amended--
    (1) in subparagraph (S), by striking ``and'' at the end;
    (2) in subparagraph (T), by striking the period at the end
    and inserting ``; and''; and
    (3) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(U) in conjunction with the United States Patent and
    Trademark Office, providing training--
    ``(i) to small business concerns relating to--
    ``(I) domestic and international intellectual
    property protections; and
    ``(II) how the protections described in
    subclause (I) should be considered in the business
    plans and growth strategies of the small business
    concerns; and
    ``(ii) that may be delivered--
    ``(I) in person; or
    ``(II) through a website.''.

    Approved October 9, 2018.

    LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 791:
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    SENATE REPORTS: No. 115-435 (Comm. on Small Business and
    Entrepreneurship).
    CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 164 (2018):
    July 18, considered and passed Senate.
    Sept. 25, considered and passed House.