Pending IP and Internet Legislation

H.R.
196
Latest Title: Online Competition and Consumer Choice Act of 2015
Sponsor: Rep Matsui, Doris O. [CA-6] (introduced 1/7/2015)
Cosponsors (6)
Related Bills: S.40
Latest Major Action: 1/9/2015 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred
to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.
SUMMARY AS OF:
1/7/2015--Introduced.
Online Competition and Consumer Choice Act of 2015
Directs the Federal Communications Commission to promulgate regulations that
prohibit broadband providers, in transmitting network traffic over the
broadband Internet access service of an end user, from: (1) entering an
agreement with an edge provider (a provider of Internet content, applications,
services, or access devices) to give preferential treatment or priority to the traffic of
such edge provider in exchange for consideration (commonly referred to as "paid
prioritization"); and (2) giving preferential treatment or priority to content,
applications, services, or devices that are provided or operated by such broadband
provider or an affiliate of such broadband provider.
Prohibits this Act from superseding any obligation or authorization of a broadband
provider to address the needs of emergency communications, law enforcement,
public safety, or national security authorities.
Sets forth enforcement authority under the Communications Act of 1934, with
modified forfeiture standards.
H.R.235
Latest Title: Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act
Sponsor: Rep Goodlatte, Bob [VA-6] (introduced 1/9/2015)
Cosponsors (191)
Related Bills: S.431
Latest Major Action: 6/10/2015 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received
in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
SUMMARY AS OF:
6/9/2015--Passed House without amendment.
(There is 1 other summary)
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that
version is repeated here.)
Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act
Amends the Internet Tax Freedom Act to make permanent the ban on state and
local taxation of Internet access and on multiple or discriminatory taxes on
electronic commerce.
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H.R.236
Latest Title: Foreign Counterfeit Merchandise Prevention Act
Sponsor: Rep Poe, Ted [TX-2] (introduced 1/9/2015)
Cosponsors (3)
to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.
SUMMARY AS OF:
Foreign Counterfeit Merchandise Prevention Act
Amends the federal criminal code to provide that it shall not be a violation of the
prohibition against a federal employee disclosing trade secrets or other confidential
or proprietary information for an officer or employee of U.S. Customs and Border
Protection (CBP): (1) upon detention and thereafter, to provide the owner of a
copyright or a registered mark or any person who may be injured by a
circumvention of copyright protection systems with any information appearing on
the merchandise, including its retail packaging, or a sample or image of such
merchandise and its retail packaging, for the purposes of determining whether the
merchandise or its packaging infringes the copyright, bears or consists of
a counterfeitmark of the registered mark, or is a violation of copyright protection
systems; or (2) after seizing merchandise determined to be in violation of copyright
protection systems, to provide certain information to persons injured by such
violation, including the date of importation, the port of entry, a description of the
merchandise, the country of origin of the merchandise, the names and addresses of
the foreign manufacturer, the exporter, and the importer, and a photographic or
digital image of the merchandise.
Applies such exemption only with respect to tangible goods presented to the CBP
for importation into, or exportation from, the United States.
Amends the Lanham Act to direct the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to
record and transmit to customs officers any contact information, documentation of
the locality in which goods were manufactured, and copies of trademark
registrations furnished by domestic or eligible foreign manufacturers or traders for
the purpose of aiding the enforcement of a prohibition on the importation of goods
bearing infringing marks or names. (Currently, such activities are performed by the
Department of the Treasury.)
Requires DHS, if the CBP detains critical merchandise bearing a DHS-recorded
registered trademark, to provide the trademark owner any information on such
critical merchandise and its packaging and labels, including, without redaction,
photographs or digital images, packaging, and labels. Permits the Secretary,
subject to any bonding and return requirements, to provide the owner samples of
the critical merchandise without redaction.
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Defines "critical merchandise" to include: (1) aircraft engines, appliances,

propellers, and spare parts; (2) motor vehicle equipment; (3) semiconductors; and
(4) any other article of manufacture that the Secretary determines could, if
permitted entry into the United States in violation of the U.S. laws, pose a danger
to the health, safety, or welfare of consumers, or to the national security of the
United States.
Applies such Lanham Act amendments only with respect to tangible goods
presented to the CBP for importation into the United States.
H.R.238
Latest Title: Copyright and Marriage Equality Act
Sponsor: Rep Kilmer, Derek [WA-6] (introduced 1/9/2015)
Cosponsors (33)
Related Bills: S.23
to the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet.
SUMMARY AS OF:
Copyright and Marriage Equality Act
Amends federal copyright law to revise the definition of "widow" or "widower" for
purposes of provisions concerning the transfer of a copyright to an author's
spouse or other next of kin following the author's death. Declares that an individual
is the widow or widower of an author if the courts of the state in which the
individual and the author were married (or, if the individual and the author were
not married in any state but were validly married in another jurisdiction, the courts
of any state) would find that the individual and the author were validly married at
the time of the author's death. (Currently, only the author's surviving spouse under
the law of the author's domicile at the time of death is considered a widow.)
H.R.283
Latest Title: Electronic Communications Privacy Act Amendments Act of 2015
Sponsor: Rep Salmon, Matt [AZ-5] (introduced 1/12/2015)
Cosponsors (4)
Related Bills: H.R.699, S.356
to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.
SUMMARY AS OF:
Electronic Communications Privacy Act Amendments Act of 2015
Amends the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986 to prohibit a provider of
remote computing service or electronic communication service to the public from
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knowingly divulging to a governmental entity the contents of any communication

that is in electronic storage or otherwise maintained by the provider, subject to
exceptions.
Revises provisions under which the government may require a provider to disclose
the contents of such communications. Eliminates the different requirements
applicable under current law depending on whether such communications were: (1)
stored for fewer than, or more than, 180 days by an electronic communication
service; or (2) held by an electronic communication service as opposed to a remote
computing service.
Requires the government to obtain a warrant from a court before requiring
providers to disclose the content of such communications regardless of how long
the communication has been held in electronic storage by an electronic
communication service or whether the information is sought from an electronic
communication service or a remote computing service
Requires a law enforcement agency, within 10 days after receiving the contents of a
customer's communication, or a governmental entity, within 3 days, to provide a
customer whose communications were disclosed by the provider a copy of the
warrant and a notice that such information was requested by, and supplied to, the
government entity. Allows the government to request delays of such notifications.
Prohibits disclosure requirements that apply to providers from being construed to
limit the government's authority to use an administrative or civil discovery
subpoena to require: (1) an originator or recipient of an electronic communication
to disclose the contents of such communication; or (2) an entity that provides
electronic communication services to its employees or agents to disclose the
contents of an electronic communication to or from such employee or agent if the
communication is on an electronic communications system owned or operated by
the entity.
Allows the government to apply for an order directing a provider, for a specified
period, to refrain from notifying any other person that the provider has been
required to disclose communications or records.
Directs the Comptroller General to report to Congress regarding disclosures of
customer communications and records under provisions: (1) as in effect before the
enactment of this Act, and (2) as amended by this Act.
H.R.355
Latest Title: GIF Act of 2015
Sponsor: Rep Duffy, Sean P. [WI-7] (introduced 1/14/2015)
Cosponsors
(None)
Latest Major Action: 1/16/2015 Referred to House subcommittee. Status:
Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.
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SUMMARY AS OF:
Global Internet Freedom Act of 2015 or the GIF Act of 2015
Prohibits the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information
from relinquishing the responsibility of the National Telecommunications and
Information Administration with respect to Internet Assigned Numbers Authority
functions, including: (1) coordination of the assignment of
technical Internetprotocol parameters, (2) performance of administrative functions
associated with Internet domain name system root zone management, and (3)
allocation ofInternet numbering resources.
H.R.580
Latest Title: Data Accountability and Trust Act
Sponsor: Rep Rush, Bobby L. [IL-1] (introduced 1/28/2015)
Cosponsors (4)
Referred to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade.
SUMMARY AS OF:
Data Accountability and Trust Act
Requires the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to promulgate regulations requiring
each person engaged in interstate commerce that owns or possesses data
containing personal information to establish specified security policies and
procedures to treat and protect such information.
Requires the regulations to include methods for disposing of both electronic and
nonelectronic data.
Requires information brokers to submit their security policies to the FTC in
conjunction with a notification of a security breach notification or upon the FTC's
request. Authorizes the FTC to conduct information security practices audits of
brokers who have had a security breach or require such brokers to conduct
independent audits.
Requires information brokers to: (1) establish procedures to verify the accuracy of
information that identifies individuals, (2) provide to individuals whose personal
information it maintains a means to review it, (3) place a conspicuous notice on
the Internet instructing individuals how to request access to such information, and
(4) correct inaccurate information.
Directs the FTC to require information brokers to establish measures which facilitate
the auditing or retracing of access to, or transmissions of, any data containing
personal information.
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Makes it unlawful for information brokers to obtain or disclose personal information

by false pretenses (pretexting).
Requires such person to notify the FTC and affected individuals of information
security breaches. Sets forth requirements concerning such notification, including
method of notification requirements and timeliness requirements. Allows an
exemption from notification requirements if such person determines that there is no
reasonable risk of identity theft, fraud, or other unlawful conduct.
Preempts state information security laws.
H.R.689
Latest Title: Surveillance Order Reporting Act of 2015
Sponsor: Rep Lofgren, Zoe [CA-19] (introduced 2/3/2015)
Cosponsors (8)
Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and
Investigations.
SUMMARY AS OF:
Surveillance Order Reporting Act of 2015
Permits electronic communications or remote computing service providers to report
information to the public about requests and demands for information made by any
government entity under a surveillance law and exempts such providers from
liability with respect to that report even if the provider would otherwise be
prohibited by a surveillance law from reporting that information.
Allows a provider to report such information not more often than quarterly and only
to the extent that the report reveals estimates of the number of such demands and
requests made, the number the service provider complied with, and the numbers of
users or accounts for which information was demanded, requested, or provided.
Permits any estimate disclosed to be: (1) an overall estimate or broken down by
categories of, or provisions of, authorizing surveillance laws; and (2) expressed in
no greater detail than in a range of 100, rounded to the nearest 100s.
Defines "surveillance law" to include the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of
1978 and specified sections of the National Security Act of 1947, the Right to
Financial Privacy Act of 1978, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and the federal criminal
code (dealing with counterintelligence access to telephone toll and transactional
records).
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H.R.699
Latest Title: Email Privacy Act
Sponsor: Rep Yoder, Kevin [KS-3] (introduced 2/4/2015)
Cosponsors (314)
Latest Major Action: 4/13/2016 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status:
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 28 - 0.
SUMMARY AS OF:
Email Privacy Act
Amends the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986 to prohibit a provider of
remote computing service or electronic communication service to the public from
knowingly divulging to a governmental entity the contents of any communication
that is in electronic storage or otherwise maintained by the provider, subject to
exceptions.
Revises provisions under which the government may require a provider to disclose
the contents of such communications. Eliminates the different requirements
applicable under current law depending on whether such communications were: (1)
stored for fewer than, or more than, 180 days by an electronic communication
service; or (2) held by an electronic communication service as opposed to a remote
computing service.
Requires the government to obtain a warrant from a court before requiring
providers to disclose the content of such communications regardless of how long
the communication has been held in electronic storage by an electronic
communication service or whether the information is sought from an electronic
communication service or a remote computing service
Requires a law enforcement agency, within 10 days after receiving the contents of a
customer's communication, or a governmental entity, within 3 days, to provide a
customer whose communications were disclosed by the provider a copy of the
warrant and a notice that such information was requested by, and supplied to, the
government entity. Allows the government to request delays of such notifications.
Prohibits disclosure requirements that apply to providers from being construed to
limit the government's authority to use an administrative or civil discovery
subpoena to require: (1) an originator or recipient of an electronic communication
to disclose the contents of such communication, or (2) an entity that provides
electronic communication services to its employees or agents to disclose the
contents of an electronic communication to or from such employee or agent if the
communication is on an electronic communications system owned or operated by
the entity.
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Allows the government to apply for an order directing a provider, for a specified
period, to refrain from notifying any other person that the provider has been
required to disclose communications or records.
Directs the Comptroller General to report to Congress regarding disclosures of
customer communications and records under provisions: (1) as in effect before the
enactment of this Act, and (2) as amended by this Act.
H.R.707
Latest Title: Restoration of America's Wire Act
Sponsor: Rep Chaffetz, Jason [UT-3] (introduced 2/4/2015)
Cosponsors (25)
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
SUMMARY AS OF:
Restoration of America's Wire Act
Amends provisions of the federal criminal code, commonly known as the Wire Act,
to provide that the prohibition against transmission of wagering information shall
apply to any bet or wager, or information assisting in the placing of any bet or
wager (thus making such prohibition applicable to all types of gambling activities,
including internet gambling). States that nothing in this Act shall be construed to:
(1) preempt any state law prohibiting gambling; or (2) alter, limit, or extend the
relationship between the Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978 and other federal laws
currently in effect, the ability of a state licensed lottery retailer to make in-person,
computer-generated retail lottery sales, or the relationship between federal laws
and state charitable gaming laws.
H.R.734
Latest Title: Federal Communications Commission Consolidated Reporting Act of
2015
Sponsor: Rep Scalise, Steve [LA-1] (introduced 2/4/2015)
Cosponsors (3)
in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation.
House Reports: 114-27
SUMMARY AS OF:
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has
been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)
Federal Communications Commission Consolidated Reporting Act of 2015
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(Sec. 2) Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to replace various reporting

requirements with a communications marketplace report that the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) is required to publish on its website and submit
to Congress every two years assessing: (1) competition in the communications
marketplace; (2) deployment of communications capabilities, including whether
advanced telecommunications capability is being deployed to all Americans in a
reasonable and timely fashion; and (3) whether laws, regulations, or regulatory
practices pose a barrier to competitive entry or expansion of existing providers of
communications services.
Requires the report to describe the FCC's actions in the marketplace and its agenda
for the next two years.
Directs the FCC to: (1) compile a list of geographic areas that are not served by
any provider of advanced telecommunications capability; and (2) consider market
entry barriers for entrepreneurs and small businesses in accordance with national
policy favoring diversity of media voices, competition, technological advancement,
and promotion of the public interest, convenience, and necessity.
Requires the FCC's competition assessments to include the aggregate average total
amount paid by cable systems for retransmission consent.
(Sec. 3) Repeals or consolidates various reports of the FCC and the Corporation for
Public Broadcasting, including reports on satellite competition, international
broadband, video programming, cable industry prices, small business entry
barriers, commercial mobile radio, services to minority and diverse audiences,
waivers from requirements prohibiting FCC employees from being financially
interested in companies subject to FCC regulation, and several other existing
reports under such Act.
Amends the Telecommunications Act of 1996 to require the FCC to determine from
the communications marketplace report every two years (currently, in an inquiry
initiated each year) whether it must act immediately to accelerate deployment of
advanced telecommunications capabilities, particularly in elementary and secondary
schools, by removing barriers to infrastructure investment and promoting
competition.
H.R.805
Latest Title: Domain Openness Through Continued Oversight Matters Act of 2015
Sponsor: Rep Shimkus, John [IL-15] (introduced 2/5/2015)
Cosponsors (15)
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Latest Major Action: 6/24/2015 Received in the Senate.

House Reports: 114-175
SUMMARY AS OF:
6/23/2015--Passed House amended.
Domain Openness Through Continued Oversight Matters Act of 2015 or the

DOTCOM Act of 2015
from permitting the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's
(NTIA's) role in the performance of the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority
(IANA) functions to cease until 30 legislative days after the Assistant
Secretary submits to Congress a report that contains: (1) the proposal relating to
the transition of the NTIA's stewardship of the IANA functions that was developed in
a process convened by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers
(ICANN) at the request of the NTIA, and (2) the following required certifications by
the Assistant Secretary.
Requires the Assistant Secretary to certify that: (1) such proposal supports and
enhances the multistakeholder model of Internet governance, maintains the
security, stability, and resiliency of the Internet domain name system, meets the
needs of global customers and partners of the IANA services, maintains the
openness of the Internet, and does not replace the role of the NTIA with a
government-led or intergovernmental organization solution; and (2) the required
changes to ICANN's bylaws contained in the final report of ICANN's Cross
Community Working Group on Enhancing ICANN Accountability and the changes to
ICANN's bylaws required by ICANN's IANA Stewardship Transition Coordination
Group have
H.R.849
Latest Title: To grant a Federal charter to the National Academy of Inventors.
Sponsor: Rep Ross, Dennis A. [FL-15] (introduced
2/10/2015)
Cosponsors (10)
Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security.
SUMMARY AS OF:
Grants a federal charter to the National Academy of Inventors.
H.R.862
Latest Title: You Own Devices Act
Sponsor: Rep Farenthold, Blake [TX-27] (introduced
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2/11/2015)
Cosponsors (1)
Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet.
SUMMARY AS OF:
You Own Devices Act
Amends federal copyright law to allow the owner of a machine or other product
operated in any part by a computer program to transfer an authorized copy of the
computer program, or the right to obtain such copy, when the owner sells, leases,
or otherwise transfers the machine or product to another person. Prohibits such
right to transfer the computer program from being waived by any agreement.
Requires any right to receive modifications to such a computer program relating to
security or error correction that applied to the owner of the machine or product to
apply to the person to whom the machine or product and the copy of the computer
program are transferred.
Prohibits this Act from being construed to permit the owner to retain an
unauthorized copy of the computer program after such a transfer.
H.R.1053
Latest Title: To establish a regulatory framework for the comprehensive protection
of personal data for individuals under the aegis of the Federal Trade Commission, to
amend the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 to improve provisions
relating to collection, use, and disclosure of personal information of children, and
for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Sires, Albio [NJ-8] (introduced 2/24/2015)
Cosponsors (2)
SUMMARY AS OF:
TITLE I--COMMERCIAL PRIVACY
Commercial Privacy Bill of Rights Act of 2015
Directs the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to initiate a rulemaking to require
covered entities that collect or use information about individuals to carry out
security measures to protect personally identifiable information, unique identifier
information, and other information that may be used to identify a specific
individual.
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Defines "covered entity" as a person (a person, partnership, or corporation over

which the FTC has authority under the Federal Trade Commission Act, a common
carrier subject to the Communications Act of 1934, or a nonprofit organization) who
collects, uses, transfers, or stores such information concerning more than 5,000
individuals during any consecutive 12-month period.
Directs the FTC to require covered entities to: (1) notify individuals of their
practices regarding the collection, use, transfer, and storage of such information;
(2) provide timely notice before implementing a material change in such practices;
(3) offer individuals a mechanism to provide opt-in consent for any unauthorized
use of such information or a third party's use for behavioral advertising or
marketing; and (4) provide access to, and methods to correct, stored information.
Permits covered entities to execute contracts with service providers to collect, use,
and store information on behalf of the covered entity.
Restricts covered entities to the collection of only as much information relating to
an individual as reasonably necessary to: (1) process or enforce a transaction or
deliver a requested service, including inventory management, financial reporting
and accounting, planning, product or service improvement, forecasting, and
customer support; (2) prevent or detect fraud or provide for a secure environment;
(3) investigate a possible crime or comply with a law; (4) market or advertise to
such individual if the information used for such marketing or advertising was
collected directly by the covered entity; and (5) conduct internal operations and
customer research, including the collection of information about Internet website
visits and click-through rates to improve website navigation and the customer's
experience.
Limits the duration of time that a covered entity is authorized to retain such
information to only the period necessary to provide the transaction, deliver the
service, or comply with a law. Restricts the use of retained information to the
purpose for which it was collected or a reasonably related purpose.
Directs covered entities that contract to transfer information to third parties to
prohibit such third parties from combining transferred information that is not
personally identifiable with other information in order to identify the individual
without the individual's opt-in consent.
Requires covered entities to attempt to establish procedures to ensure the accuracy
of personally identifiable information that could be used to deny consumers benefits
or cause significant harm.
Sets forth the circumstances under which a covered entity may be required to
provide notice of a breach of security to: (1) U.S. citizens or residents whose
personally identifiable information is reasonably believed to have been acquired or
accessed, (2) the FTC, (3) third parties, (4) service providers, and (5) credit
reporting agencies.
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Exempts a covered entity from certain notice requirements if:
the covered entity, following a breach of security, concludes that there is no

reasonable risk of identity theft, fraud, or other unlawful conduct; or
the covered entity participates in a security program that blocks the use of
the personally identifiable information to initiate an unauthorized financial
transaction before it is charged to the account of the individual and that
notifies affected individuals after a security breach that resulted in attempted
fraud or an attempted unauthorized transaction.
Requires a covered entity to notify a federal government entity designated by the

Department of Homeland Security if a breach of security involves: (1) the
personally identifiable information of more than 10,000 individuals, (2) a database
containing the personally identifiable information of more than 1 million individuals,
(3) federal government databases, or (4) the personally identifiable information of
federal employees or contractors involved in national security or law enforcement.
Directs the designated entity to provide each notice it receives to:
the U.S. Secret Service;

the Federal Bureau of Investigation;
the FTC;
the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, if mail fraud is involved;
attorneys general of affected states; and
appropriate federal agencies for law enforcement, national security, or data
security purposes.
Sets forth enforcement provisions for the FTC, the Department of Justice, and
states. Establishes civil penalties for state actions against covered entities that
recklessly or repeatedly violate specified requirements.
Prohibits this title from being construed to provide a private right of action.
Directs the FTC to initiate a rulemaking to establish requirements for a
nongovernmental organization to administer safe harbor programs under which
participants are exempted from certain requirements of this title if they implement
particular mechanisms that protect against unauthorized information uses and
provide consumers a means of opting out of the transfer of specified information to
third parties.
TITLE II--ONLINE PRIVACY OF CHILDREN
Do Not Track Kids Act of 2015
Amends the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 to apply the
prohibitions against collecting personal information from children to online
applications and mobile applications directed to children. Establishes additional
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privacy protections against the collection of personal or geolocation information

from children and minors.
Revises the definition of:
"operator" to include online and mobile applications (currently,

only Internet websites and online services) and to make such definition
apply specifically to operators and providers of such websites, services, or
applications who, for commercial purposes, in interstate or foreign
commerce, collect or maintain personal information from or about their
users, allow another person to collect such personal information, or allow
users of such websites, services, or applications to publicly disclose personal
information; and
"disclosure" to mean the release of personal information (currently, the
release of personal information collected from a child in identifiable form).
Requires verifiable parental consent, under specified circumstances, for the

collection, use, or disclosure of personal information of a child, including certain
online contact information collected in response to a specific request from a child
when such information is used to contact a different child.
Prohibits, without verifiable parental consent in the case of a child or without
consent of the minor in the case of a minor, an operator of a website, online
service, online application, or mobile application directed to children or minors, or
an operator having actual knowledge that personal information being collected is
from children or minors, from: (1) using, disclosing to third parties, or compiling
personal information collected from children or minors for targeted marketing
purposes; and (2) collecting geolocation information in a manner that violates the
regulations prescribed under this title.
Defines a "minor" as an individual over the age of 12 and under the age of 16.
Prohibits an operator from discontinuing service provided to a child or minor on the
basis of a refusal, by the child's parent or the minor, to permit the further use or
maintenance in retrievable form, or future collection, of certain personal or
geolocation information from such individuals, to the extent that the operator is
capable of providing such service without such information.
Requires an operator of a website, online service, online application, or mobile
application directed to children or minors to treat all users as children or minors for
purposes of this title, except as permitted by regulation.
Prohibits an operator of a website, online service, or such applications directed to
minors from collecting personal information from minors unless such operator has
adopted, and complies with, a Digital Marketing Bill of Rights for Teens that is
consistent with the Fair Information Practices Principles established by this title.
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Requires the FTC to promulgate regulations that require operators to implement

mechanisms that permit a user to erase content submitted by such user that is
publicly available through such websites, services, or applications and that contains
or displays personal information of children or minors.
Sets forth enforcement provisions for the FTC, other federal agencies, and states.
H.R.1283
Latest Title: Songwriter Equity Act of 2015
Sponsor: Rep Collins, Doug [GA-9] (introduced 3/4/2015)
Cosponsors (36)
SUMMARY AS OF:
Songwriter Equity Act of 2015
Amends federal copyright law regarding the exclusive rights of sound recording
copyright owners to remove a provision that prohibits license fees payable for the
public performance of sound recordings, by means of a digital audio transmission,
from being taken into account in any administrative, judicial, or other governmental
proceeding to set or adjust the royalties payable to copyright owners of musical
works for the public performance of their works.
Requires Copyright Royalty Judges (CRJs), when setting royalty rates under the
compulsory license available for the reproduction and distribution of musical works
(commonly referred to as a "mechanical license"), to establish rates and terms that
most clearly represent the rates and terms that would have been negotiated in the
marketplace between a willing buyer and seller.
Requires CRJs, in establishing such rates and terms, to base their decision on
marketplace, economic, and use information presented by the participants. Allows
consideration of comparable uses and circumstances under voluntary license
agreements.
H.R.1307
Latest Title: Global Free Internet Act of 2015
Cosponsors (2)
Referred to the Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial And Antitrust
Law.
SUMMARY AS OF:
Global Free Internet Act of 2015
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Establishes a Task Force on the Global Internet to be hosted by the Department of

Commerce.
Requires the Task Force to develop and implement strategies in response to foreign
and domestic government policies that: (1) unjustifiably or unreasonably burden or
restrict international trade in Internet-related goods, services, and content; (2)
mandate or prefer certain Internet-related technology standards; (3) impede the
free flow of information on the Internet; or (4) otherwise threaten the open, global
nature of the Internet, the interests of Internet users, and the United States
in Internet-related international trade and discourse.
Directs the Task Force to: (1) coordinate federal agencies' implementation of such
strategies, and (2) consult and share timely information with
the InternetCorporation for Assigned Names and Numbers and civil society policy
groups.
Instructs the U.S. Trade Representative to initiate investigations and consider
imposing sanctions in accordance with the Trade Act of 1974 for any practices of a
foreign government or international body identified as priority concerns.
Directs the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice to investigate
whether U.S. antitrust laws are violated by identified practices or the related
actions of nongovernmental entities.
Requires the Task Force to report to Congress and the President regarding the
sufficiency of existing multilateral and bilateral trade agreements in advancing a
single open, global Internet.
Instructs the Task Force to organize training of foreign and domestic government
officials and national standard-setting and conformity assessment bodies, including
coordination with nongovernmental international and domestic standards bodies.
H.R.1409
Latest Title: Open Internet Act of 2015
Sponsor: Rep Peters, Scott H. [CA-52] (introduced 3/17/2015)
Cosponsors
(None)
Latest Major Action: 3/17/2015 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred
to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
SUMMARY AS OF:
Open Internet Act of 2015
Amends the Telecommunications Act of 1996 to authorize the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) to adopt the rules adopted on December 21,
2010, in the Report and Order in the matter of preserving the open Internet and
broadband industry practices. Requires the FCC to restore portions of such rules
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that were vacated by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in Verizon v.
Federal Communications Commission (decided on January 14, 2014).
H.R.1457
Latest Title: Allocation for Music Producers Act
Sponsor: Rep Crowley, Joseph [NY-14] (introduced
3/19/2015)
Cosponsors (33)
Related Bills: H.R.1733
SUMMARY AS OF:
Allocation for Music Producers Act or the AMP Act
Amends federal copyright law to require a collective designated by the Copyright
Royalty Judges to implement a policy providing for the acceptance of instructions
(referred to as a "letter of direction") from a person who owns the exclusive right to
publicly perform a sound recording by means of a digital audio transmission, or
from a recording artist of a such a sound recording, to distribute a portion of royalty
payments to a producer, mixer, or sound engineer who was part of the creative
process behind the sound recording.
Requires the collective to adopt special procedures for a producer, mixer, or sound
engineer to receive a portion of royalties for recordings fixed before November 1,
1995, by certifying that a reasonable effort has been made to obtain a letter of
direction from an artist who owns the right to receipts payable with respect to the
sound recording.
H.R.1477
Latest Title: Fair Access to Science and Technology Research Act of 2015
Sponsor: Rep Doyle, Michael F. [PA-14] (introduced
3/19/2015)
Cosponsors (7)
to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
SUMMARY AS OF:
Fair Access to Science and Technology Research Act of 2015
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Requires each federal agency with extramural research expenditures of over $100
million to develop a federal research public access policy that is consistent with,
and that advances, the purposes of the agency and that follows common
procedures for the collection and depositing of research papers.
Makes each federal research public access policy applicable to: (1) researchers
employed by the federal agency whose works remain in the public domain, and (2)
researchers funded by the agency. Specifies exclusions.
Requires each federal agency to submit an annual report on its federal research
public access policy to specified congressional committees.
H.R.1587
Latest Title: Unlocking Technology Act of 2015
Cosponsors (7)
SUMMARY AS OF:
Unlocking Technology Act of 2015
Amends the prohibition under federal copyright law on the circumvention of a
technological measure that controls access to a copyright-protected work to require
that such prohibition apply only to circumventions carried out in order to infringe or
facilitate infringement of a protected work.
Declares that it shall not be a violation to: (1) circumvent a technological measure
if the purpose is to engage in a use that is not an infringement of federal copyright
law; or (2) use, manufacture, import, offer to the public, provide, or otherwise
traffic in any technology, product, service, device, component, or part primarily
designed or produced to facilitate noninfringing uses of protected works by
circumventing a technological measure that effectively controls access to such
work, unless the intent is to infringe or facilitate infringement of a copyright.
Declares that it is not an infringement to copy or adapt the software or firmware of
a user-purchased mobile communications device for the sole purpose of enabling
the device to connect to a wireless communications network if: (1) the copying or
adapting is initiated by, or with the consent of, the owner of that device or the
owner's agent; (2) the owner or agent is in legal possession of the device; and (3)
the owner has the consent of, or an agreement with, the authorized operator of
such wireless communications network to make use of its network. (Thus, allows
the "unlocking" of mobile devices without requiring an owner to obtain the consent
of the initial carrier network before switching to a new carrier.)
Directs the President to ensure that applicable bilateral and multilateral trade
agreements are modified to be consistent with this Act.
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H.R.1733
Latest Title: Fair Play Fair Pay Act of 2015
Sponsor: Rep Nadler, Jerrold [NY-10] (introduced 4/13/2015)
Cosponsors (32)
SUMMARY AS OF:
Fair Play Fair Pay Act of 2015
Amends federal copyright law to extend a sound recording copyright owner's rights
to include the exclusive right to perform or authorize the performance of the
recording publicly by means of any audio transmission, thereby requiring terrestrial
AM/FM broadcast radio stations that play copyrighted sound recordings
to pay royalties for the non-digital audio transmissions of the recordings.
(Currently, sound recording copyright owners have a performance right that applies
only to digital transmissions by cable, satellite, and Internet radio stations.)
Requires the Copyright Royalty Judges (CRJs) to commence a proceeding to
determine royalty rates and terms for nonsubscription broadcast transmissions.
Directs the CRJs, in determining royalty rates for statutory licensing of such digital
or non-digital transmissions, to: (1) distinguish among different types of services,
and (2) include a minimum fee for each type of service. Allows differences to be
based on the quantity and nature of the use of sound recordings and the degree to
which use of the service may substitute for or promote consumer purchases of
phonorecords.
Requires the CRJs to establish rates that most clearly represent the rates and terms
that would have been negotiated in the marketplace between a willing buyer and a
willing seller. Directs the CRJs to base their decision on economic, competitive, and
programming information presented by the parties, including: (1) the sound
recording copyright owner's other streams of revenue from the recordings; and (2)
the relative creative contribution, technological contribution, capital investment,
cost, and risk of the copyright owner and the transmitting entity.
Caps the annual royalty rate at: (1) $500 for small commercial broadcast stations
with less than $1 million in revenues for the calendar year, and (2) $100 for public
broadcasting stations. Exempts religious service broadcasts or incidental uses of
music from royalty payment requirements.
Requires proceeds for direct licenses of transmissions otherwise licensable under
the statutory license to be distributed in the same manner as statutory license
proceeds. Requires payment of 45% to featured artists, 2.5% to nonfeatured
musicians, and 2.5% to nonfeatured vocalists. Makes such distribution the
sole payments to which featured and nonfeatured artists are entitled under a
direct license.
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Requires payment of performance royalties for sound recordings fixed before

February 15, 1972, in the same manner as royalties are paid for sound recordings
fixed after such date.
Requires a collective designated by the CRJs to implement a policy to accept
instructions (referred to as a "letter of direction") from a sound recording copyright
owner, or from a recording artist, to distribute a portion of performance
royalty payments to a producer, mixer, or sound engineer who was part of the
creative process behind the sound recording.
Requires the collective to adopt special procedures for a producer, mixer, or sound
engineer to receive a portion of royalties for recordings fixed before November 1,
1995, by certifying that a reasonable effort has been made to obtain a letter of
direction from an artist who owns the right to receipts payable with respect to the
sound recording.
H.R.1643
Latest Title: Digital Goods and Services Tax Fairness Act of 2015
Sponsor: Rep Smith, Lamar [TX-21] (introduced 3/26/2015)
Cosponsors (10)
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
SUMMARY AS OF:
Digital Goods and Services Tax Fairness Act of 2015
Prohibits a state or local jurisdiction from imposing multiple or discriminatory taxes
on the sale or use of a digital good or service delivered or transferred electronically
to a customer. Excludes from the definition of "digital service" a service that is
predominantly attributable to the direct, contemporaneous expenditure of live
human effort, skill, or expertise, a telecommunications service, an ancillary service,
an Internet access service, an audio or video programming service, or a hotel
intermediary service.
Restricts taxation of a digital good or service to taxation by a state or local
jurisdiction whose territorial limits encompass a customer tax address, as defined
by this Act. Makes the seller of digital goods or services responsible for obtaining
and maintaining such address. Provides for the taxation of digital goods and
services transactions that are aggregated and not separately stated.
H.R.1627
Latest Title: No Stolen Trademarks Honored in America Act
Sponsor: Rep Issa, Darrell E. [CA-49] (introduced 3/25/2015)
Cosponsors (16)
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SUMMARY AS OF:
No Stolen Trademarks Honored in America Act
Amends the Department of Commerce and Related Agencies Appropriations Act,
1999 to prohibit U.S. courts from recognizing, enforcing, or otherwise validating
any assertion of rights by an individual (under current law, by a designated Cuban
national) of a mark, trade name, or commercial name that was used in connection
with a business or assets that were confiscated by the Cuban government unless
the original owner of such mark or name, or such owner's bona fide successor, has
expressly consented. Applies such prohibition only if the individual asserting the
rights knew or had reason to know at the time of acquiring the rights asserted that
the mark or name was the same or substantially similar to the mark or name used
in connection with the business or assets that were confiscated.
H.R.1712
Latest Title: Freedom from Internet Tax Act
Sponsor: Rep Mooney, Alexander X. [WV-2] (introduced
3/26/2015)
Cosponsors (None)
SUMMARY AS OF:
Freedom from Internet Tax Act
Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to exempt providers of
broadband Internet access service (as defined in rules adopted by the Federal
Communications Commission on February 26, 2015) from requirements to make
contributions to the federal universal service fund.
H.R.1770
Latest Title: Data Security and Breach Notification Act of 2015
Sponsor: Rep Blackburn, Marsha [TN-7] (introduced
4/14/2015)
Cosponsors (3)
SUMMARY AS OF:
Data Security and Breach Notification Act of 2015
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Requires certain commercial entities and non-profit organizations that use, access,
transmit, store, dispose of, or collect unencrypted nonpublic personal information to
restore the integrity, security, and confidentiality of their data systems following
the discovery of a security breach.
Requires notification to: (1) affected U.S. residents when there is a reasonable risk
that such a breach has resulted in, or will result in, identity theft, economic harm,
or financial fraud; (2) the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the U.S. Secret
Service or the Federal Bureau of Investigation if an unauthorized person accesses
or acquires the personal information of more than 10,000 individuals; and (3)
consumer reporting agencies if notice must be provided to more than 10,000
individuals.
Establishes special procedures to coordinate the notices that must be provided
when: (1) a breached entity processes personal data on behalf of a non-breached
entity; or (2) a provider of electronic data transmission, storage, or network
connection services becomes aware of a breach.
Provides authority to the FTC and states to enforce against violations of this Act.
Directs the FTC to educate small businesses about data security and establish
an Internet website containing non-binding best practices.
Preempts state information security and notification laws, but does not exempt an
entity from liability under common law. Provides for the requirements of this Act to
apply to certain entities in place of security practices and notification standards
currently enforced by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), except for
FCC regulations that pertain solely to 9-1-1 calls.
H.R.1832
Latest Title: Innovation Protection Act
Sponsor: Rep Conyers, John, Jr. [MI-13] (introduced
4/16/2015)
Cosponsors (22)
SUMMARY AS OF:
Innovation Protection Act
Establishes in the Treasury the United States Patent and Trademark Office Public
Enterprise Fund (Public Enterprise Fund) to be used as a revolving fund by the
Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) without fiscal year
limitation.
Requires to be credited to or deposited in the Public Enterprise Fund: (1)
appropriations for defraying the costs of USPTO activities; (2) fees collected under
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federal patent and trademark laws; and (3) any unobligated balances remaining in
the Patent and Trademark Office Appropriation Account and in the Patent and
Trademark Fee Reserve Fund. (Thus, replaces the Patent and Trademark Office
Appropriation Account, eliminates the Patent and Trademark Fee Reserve Fund, and
provides a source of permanent funding for the USPTO.)
Requires fees collected by the Director to remain available to the Director until
expended.
Makes the Public Enterprise Fund available to cover: (1) ordinary and reasonable
administrative, operating, and other expenses incurred by the Director for the
continued operation of USPTO services, programs, activities, and duties relating to
patents and trademarks; and (2) expenses incurred pursuant to obligations,
representations, or other commitments of the USPTO.
Requires the Director, on an annual basis, to: (1) report to Congress with operation
and spending plans, including financial details and staff levels broken down by each
major activity; (2) provide for an independent audit of USPTO financial statements;
and (3) submit a budget to the President.
H.R.1881
Latest Title: American Royalties Too Act of 2015
Sponsor: Rep Nadler, Jerrold [NY-10] (introduced
4/16/2015)
Cosponsors (9)
Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and
the Internet.
SUMMARY AS OF:
American Royalties Too Act of 2015
Expands copyright owners' exclusive rights, in the case of a work of visual
art, to include the right to collect or authorize the collection of a royalty if the
work is sold by a person other than the author for at least $5,000 in an
auction.
Defines "auction" as a public sale of visual art to the highest bidder run by an
entity that sold at least $1 million of works of visual art during the previous
year.
Revises the term "work of visual art" to make requirements for photographs
consistent with requirements for paintings, drawings, and prints. (Currently,
a photograph must be a still photographic image produced for exhibition
purposes only.)
Limits the amount of such a royalty to the lesser of: (1) 5% of the purchase
price; or (2) $35,000, subject to cost-of-living adjustments.
Directs entities conducting such auctions to collect and pay the royalties to a
visual artists' copyright collecting society. Requires the collecting society, at
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least four times each year, to distribute the appropriate royalties (minus
administrative expenses) to authors or successor copyright owners.
Requires an author of a work of visual art, in order to be eligible to receive
such a royalty, to: (1) be a citizen of, or domiciled in, the United States or a
country that provides resale royalty rights; or (2) have first created the work
in the United States or a country that provides such royalty rights.
Establishes a copyright infringement offense for the failure to pay such a
royalty. Subjects infringers to: (1) statutory damages, and (2) liability for the
full royalty.
Prohibits the sale, assignment, or waiver of the right to collect such a royalty,
subject to exceptions for works made for hire and transfers of copyright
ownership.
Directs the Register of Copyrights to issue regulations governing visual
artists' copyright collecting societies.
H.R.1883
Latest Title: Breaking Down Barriers to Innovation Act of 2015
Sponsor: Rep Polis, Jared [CO-2] (introduced 4/16/2015)
Cosponsors (None)
SUMMARY AS OF:
Breaking Down Barriers to Innovation Act of 2015
Revises procedures established under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act for the
Librarian of Congress to conduct an administrative rulemaking every three years to
determine whether to exempt certain noninfringing uses of a copyrighted work from
the statutory prohibition on circumventing a technological measure controlling
access to a particular class of work.
Requires the Librarian, when evaluating whether to allow an administrative
exemption, to consider the impact of the circumvention prohibition on: (1) any
reduction in the availability for use of copyrighted works; (2) repairs, recycling, or
other fair uses when applied to copyrighted works, as well as access to information
not subject to copyright protection; (3) accessibility of works and technologies for
persons with disabilities; and (4) security research.
Prohibits the Librarian from placing the burden of proof on the proponent of an
exemption. Requires consideration of the totality of the evidence.
Allows the Librarian to make administrative exemption determinations through
rulemaking proceedings outside of the three-year review process if it is
substantially likely that users of a copyrighted work are, or are likely to be in the
succeeding three-year period, adversely affected by virtue of the prohibition in their
ability to make noninfringing uses.
Page | 24
Requires the Librarian to automatically renew for an ensuing three-year period any
exemptions granted under a rulemaking unless, as a result of changed
circumstances, it is unlikely that users are adversely affected by the prohibition.
Establishes a presumption that users are likely to be adversely affected if a
technological measure inhibits noninfringing uses that improve accessibility of
works or technologies for persons with disabilities.
Expands existing statutory exceptions by removing certain restrictions and
conditions that apply to permissible circumventions for:
reverse engineering to achieve interoperability of an independently created

computer program with other programs;
encryption research on copies, phonorecords, performances, or displays of a
published work;
activities to prevent the collection or dissemination of personally identifying
information about a natural person; or
authorized security testing on computer systems or networks.
H.R.1896
Latest Title: Demand Letter Transparency Act of 2015
Sponsor: Rep Polis, Jared [CO-2] (introduced 4/20/2015)
Cosponsors (2)
SUMMARY AS OF:
Demand Letter Transparency Act of 2015
Requires any entity that sends a specified number of demand letters during any
365-day period to submit to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), with
respect to each patent that was the subject in each letter, a disclosure identifying:
the patent, including a confirmation that the entity that sent the letter is the
owner of the patent and is the last recorded entity in USPTO records for
purposes of assignment, grant, or conveyance;
the entity that has the right to license the patent or the name of the
exclusive licensee;
each entity asserting a claim with regard to the patent;
each obligation to license the patent and the financial terms at which such
patent has been licensed;
the ultimate parent entity of such entity;
the number of recipients of the letter;
any case that has been filed by such entity relating to such patent; and
any ex parte review or inter partes review of such patent.
Page | 25
Defines "demand letter" as any written communication directed to an unaffiliated

third party stating or indicating that the intended recipient, or anyone affiliated with
that recipient, is or may be infringing a patent, or may bear liability or owe
compensation to another because of such patent.
Authorizes a court, in a patent infringement or validity action brought by an entity
that does not meet such USPTO disclosure requirements, to sanction such entity for
an amount to be awarded to the adverse party to cover any costs incurred as a
result of such violation.
Exempts from such disclosure requirements: (1) original or joint inventors, (2)
institutions of higher education, and (3) technology transfer organizations
facilitating the commercialization of technology developed by institutions of higher
education.
Directs the USPTO to establish a publicly accessible and searchable database of the
information obtained pursuant to such disclosures.
Requires any demand letter sent to another entity to include specified information
concerning:
each claim of each patent allegedly infringed, including each accused

instrumentality;
each party alleging infringement;
the direct infringement for each claim alleged to have been infringed
indirectly;
the principal business of the party alleging infringement;
each complaint filed that asserts or asserted any of the same patents, each
case filed by such entity, and any ex parte or inter partes review for each
patent;
whether the patent is subject to any licensing term or pricing commitments;
owners, co-owners, assignees, or exclusive licensees of the patent;
any person who has a legal right to enforce the patent;
any person with a direct financial interest in the outcome of the action; and
how the recipient can access the USPTO demand letter database.
Permits a recipient of a demand letter to file a petition with the USPTO if it believes
that disclosure or patent letter information requirements have not been met.
Directs the USPTO, if it determines that a requirement has not been met, to notify
the patent owner that the patent will be voided unless a fee is paid.
Requires the USPTO to consider good faith mistakes in the determination of
whether to void a patent.
H.R.1998
Latest Title: HERO Act of 2015
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Sponsor: Rep Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [FL-23] (introduced

4/23/2015)
Cosponsors (20)
Related Bills: S.178, S.575
Investigations.
SUMMARY AS OF:
Human Exploitation Rescue Operations Act of 2015 or the HERO Act of
2015
This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Department of
Homeland Security (DHS) to operate, within U.S. Immigration and Customs
Enforcement (ICE), a Cyber Crimes Center to provide investigative assistance,
training, and equipment to support domestic and international investigations by ICE
of cyber-related crimes.
Within the Cyber Crimes Center, DHS shall operate a Child Exploitation
Investigations Unit, which shall:
coordinate all ICE child exploitation initiatives, including investigations into

child exploitation, child pornography, child victim identification, traveling
child sex offenders, and forced child labor, including the sexual exploitation
of minors;
focus on child exploitation prevention, investigative capacity building,
enforcement operations, and training for law enforcement personnel;
provide training and technical expertise to cooperating law enforcement
agencies and personnel;
provide psychological support and counseling services for ICE personnel
engaged in child exploitation prevention initiatives;
collaborate with the Department of Defense (DOD) and the National
Association to Protect Children to recruit, train, equip, and hire wounded, ill,
and injured veterans and transitioning service members through the Human
Exploitation Rescue Operative (HERO) Child Rescue Corps program;
collaborate with other governmental and nongovernmental entities for the
sponsorship of, and participation in, outreach and training activities; and
collect and maintain data on the total number of suspects identified by ICE,
the number of arrests and cases opened for investigation by ICE, and the
number of cases resulting in prosecution and report on such data.
DHS shall operate, within the Cyber Crimes Center, a Computer Forensics Unit
(CFU). The CFU is directed to: (1) provide training and technical support in digital
forensics to ICE personnel and other law enforcement personnel investigating
crimes; (2) provide computer hardware, software, and forensic licenses for all
computer forensics personnel within ICE; (3) participate in research and
development in the area of digital forensics; and (4) collaborate with DOD and the
Page | 27
National Association to Protect Children to recruit, train, equip, and hire wounded,
ill, and injured veterans and transitioning service members through the Human
Exploitation Rescue Operative (HERO) Child Rescue Corps program.
DHS shall also operate, within the Cyber Crimes Center, a Cyber Crimes Unit (CCU).
The CCU shall: (1) oversee the cyber security strategy and cyber-related operations
and programs for ICE, (2) enhance the ability of ICE to combat criminal enterprises
operating on or through the Internet, (3) provide training and technical support in
cyber investigations to ICE personnel and other law enforcement personnel, (4)
participate in research and development in the area of cyber investigations, and (5)
recruit participants in the Human Exploitation Rescue Operative (HERO) Child
Rescue Corps program for investigative and forensic positions.
Congress declares that Homeland Security Investigations of ICE should hire, recruit,
train, and equipment wounded, ill, or injured military veterans who are affiliated
with the HERO Child Rescue Corps program for investigative, intelligence, analyst,
and forensic positions.
The bill further amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to expand the purposes
of the DHS Acceleration Fund for Research and Development of Homeland Security
Technologies to include conducting research and development to advance
technology for the investigation of child exploitation crimes, including child victim
identification, trafficking in persons, child pornography, and for advanced forensics.
H.R.2092
Latest Title: Student Digital Privacy and Parental Rights Act of 2015
Sponsor: Rep Messer, Luke [IN-6] (introduced 4/29/2015)
Cosponsors (14)
to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade.
SUMMARY AS OF:
Student Digital Privacy and Parental Rights Act of 2015
Prohibits an operator of a school's Internet or online service that is designed and
marketed for K-12 educational or administrative purposes from presenting students
or parents with targeted advertisements that are selected based on information
obtained or inferred from: (1) students' online behavior or use of online or mobile
applications, or (2) personally identifiable information about the student. Exempts
online advertisements that are contextually relevant and selected based on a single
visit or session of use during which the advertisements are presented, provided that
information about students' online behavior is not collected or retained over time.
Prohibits operators from: (1) selling students' personal information to third parties;
or (2) collecting student information to create a personal profile or for purposes
Page | 28
unrelated to educational instruction, school collaboration, or administrative

activities.
Requires operators to: (1) implement information security procedures and a
process for responding to data breaches; (2) notify the Federal Trade Commission
(FTC) and students, parents, educational agencies or institutions, school officials, or
teachers of unauthorized acquisitions of, or access to, personal information; and (3)
delete certain student information that is not required to be maintained by the
school within 45 days after a request from an educational agency, institution, or
student's parent or within one year after the operator ceases to provide the service.
Requires operators to disclose publicly the types of personal information they
collect or generate, the purposes for which the information is used or disclosed to
third parties, and the identity of any such third parties.
Instructs operators to establish procedures for parents and system users to access
and correct certain information.
Allows operators to disclose students' information only for certain lawful purposes
or pursuant to a process that requires the student's or parent's express affirmative
request. Requires an operator to receive the student's or parent's request before
providing transcripts for admission to an institution of higher education or to a
potential employer.
Provides authority to the FTC to enforce this Act and treats violations as unfair or
deceptive acts or practices under the Federal Trade Commission Act.
Authorizes a student who is at least 18 years of age, enrolled in an institution of
higher education, or a secondary school graduate to provide any required consent
or to exercise rights provided to parents under this Act.
H.R.2251
Latest Title: Defending Internet Freedom Act of 2015
Sponsor: Rep Kelly, Mike [PA-3] (introduced 5/12/2015)
Cosponsors (4)
SUMMARY AS OF:
Defending Internet Freedom Act of 2015
from relinquishing the responsibilities of the National Telecommunications and
Information Administration (NTIA) with respect to Internet domain name
functions, including Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) functions, unless
the Assistant Secretary certifies to Congress that a final proposal has been received
that ensures:
Page | 29
control over the management of the Internet domain name system will not
be exercised by a governmental or intergovernmental body;
standards for freedoms of speech, of the press, of assembly, and of
association are at least as protective as the First Amendment to the U.S.
Constitution;
the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has an
external, independent process for reviewing and resolving disputes between
ICANN and external parties, including the ability to reverse decisions of the
board of directors;
ICANN remains subject to U.S. law;
ICANN has adopted disclosure procedures that are at least as protective of
public access as the Freedom of Information Act;
the U.S. government has been granted ownership of the ".gov" and ".mil"
top-level domains; and
ICANN has adopted additional measures recommended by the
multistakeholder community.
Requires such certification to ensure amendments to ICANN bylaws to prohibit

ICANN from: (1) engaging in activities unrelated to ICANN's core mission of
managing the IANA functions and proposing and overseeing policy decisions central
to coordinating the global interoperability and uniqueness of Internet domain
names; or (2) agreeing to impose on a registrar or registry any condition, such as a
regulation of content, that is unrelated to ICANN's core mission.
Requires such a certification to also ensure amendments to bylaws concerning: (1)
Governmental Advisory Committee advice and policy proposals, and (2) a required
supermajority of the board of directors for votes regarding changes to bylaws.
Directs the Assistant Secretary, if such a certification is not submitted to Congress
by a specified deadline, to extend through September 30, 2017, the existing IANA
functions contract under which ICANN is required to perform IANA functions.
H.R.2370
Latest Title: End Anonymous Patents Act
Sponsor: Rep Deutch, Theodore E. [FL-21] (introduced 5/15/2015)
Cosponsors
(None)
SUMMARY AS OF:
End Anonymous Patents Act
Requires entities issued a patent to file with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
(USPTO) a disclosure of the identity of the patent owner and any real parties in
interest. Directs patent owners to also make such disclosures to the USPTO upon
the payment of maintenance fees.
Page | 30
Requires an entity to which a patent, patent application, or interest is sold, granted,

or conveyed to file with the USPTO a disclosure of the sale, grant, or conveyance,
and any real party in interest in the patent, application, or interest.
Specifies that "real parties in interest" include: (1) any entity that has the legal
right to enforce the patent through an infringement action, (2) any ultimate parent
entity (not controlled by any other entity) of such an entity, and (3) any entity that
has a controlling interest in the enforcement of the patent.
Limits the damages available in a patent infringement action by an entity that fails
to comply with the requirements of this Act to only those damages occurring from
the date on which the requirements are met.
H.R.2372
Latest Title: Closing the Digital Divide for Students Act of 2015
Sponsor: Rep Foster, Bill [IL-11] (introduced 5/15/2015)
Cosponsors (1)
to the House Committee on Financial Services.
SUMMARY AS OF:
Closing the Digital Divide for Students Act of 2015
Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to require highspeed Internet service costs to be included in public housing utility allowances for
households with children who qualify for free and reduced price school lunches.
Prohibits a dwelling unit's Internet cost allowance from: (1) exceeding the lowest
cost available in the area, and (2) including costs for cable or satellite television or
for joint packages for Internet service together with cable or satellite television.
Conditions Internet cost allowances on the service including technology to block
visual depictions that are obscene or harmful to minors.
\H.R.2638
Latest Title: Broadband Adoption Act of 2015
Sponsor: Rep Matsui, Doris O. [CA-6] (introduced 6/3/2015)
Cosponsors (9)
to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.
SUMMARY AS OF:
Broadband Adoption Act of 2015
Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to direct the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) to adopt a final rule establishing support under the Universal
Page | 31
Service Fund Lifeline Assistance Program for qualifying low-income consumers in

urban and rural areas to purchase broadband Internet access service at reduced
charges by reimbursing participating providers for each such consumer served.
Requires the program to allow qualifying consumers to elect to apply support from
the Lifeline program to basic telephone service, voice telephony service, or
broadband Internetaccess service, regardless of whether the service is purchased
as a stand-alone service or in a bundle.
Directs the FCC to consult with the federal-state joint board on universal service
regarding ways to encourage states to develop programs in conjunction with the
Lifeline program.
Requires the program to be technology neutral to promote competition from service
providers.
Requires participating broadband Internet access service providers to obtain FCC
authorization to participate in the Lifeline program, but a provider is not required to
be an eligible telecommunications carrier to receive support under the program.
Directs the FCC to: (1) adopt regulations to prevent receipt of duplicative support
under the Lifeline program, and (2) establish a national database to determine
consumer eligibility.
H.R.2734
Latest Title: Do Not Track Kids Act of 2015
Sponsor: Rep Barton, Joe [TX-6] (introduced 6/11/2015)
Cosponsors (14)
Related Bills: H.R.1053, S.547, S.1563
SUMMARY AS OF:

only Internet websites and online services) and to make such definition
Page | 32

information; and

regulations prescribed under this Act.
purposes of this Act, except as permitted by regulation.
consistent with the Fair Information Practices Principles established by this Act.
Requires the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to promulgate regulations that
require operators to implement mechanisms that permit a user to erase content
submitted by such user that is publicly available through such websites, services, or
applications and that contains or displays personal information of children or
minors.
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H.R.2888
Latest Title: Internet Poker Freedom Act of 2015
Sponsor: Rep Barton, Joe [TX-6] (introduced 6/25/2015)
Cosponsors (2)
SUMMARY AS OF:
Internet Poker Freedom Act of 2015
Prohibits a person from (and requires a fine under the federal criminal code,
imprisonment up to five years, or both for) operating an Internet poker facility
without a license in good standing issued by a specified qualified regulatory
authority.
Requires the Department of Commerce to establish the Office of Internet Poker
Oversight.
Makes such prohibition inapplicable to facilities operated by persons located outside
the United States in which bets or wagers are made by individuals located outside
the United States.
Allows a licensee to accept an Internet poker bet or wager from U.S.-located
individuals and offer related services so long as the license remains in good
standing.
Prohibits licensees from accepting bets or wagers by persons residing where a state
or Indian tribe has notified Commerce of specific gambling prohibitions. Sets forth
exceptions concerning the applicability of such state prohibitions on tribal lands.
Establishes a five-year term for initial licenses, subject to renewal and transfer
requirements.
Authorizes enforcement and disciplinary actions by Commerce and qualified
regulatory authorities. Sets forth civil monetary penalties.
Requires each qualified regulatory authority to: (1) maintain a list of persons selfexcluded from playing Internet poker through licensed Internet poker facilities;
and (2) submit a current copy of such list each week to Commerce, that shall
maintain a master list. Requires each licensee, as a licensure condition, to
implement a gambling addiction, responsible gaming, and self exclusion program.
Precludes persons prohibited from gaming with a licensee by law or by order of
Commerce, a qualified regulatory authority, or any court of competent jurisdiction,
including any person on the self-exclusion list, from collecting winnings or
Page | 34
recovering losses arising from prohibited gaming activity. Requires court-ordered

child support delinquents to be included on the self-exclusion list.
Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration to establish and implement programs for the
identification, prevention, and treatment of pathological and other problem
gambling. Requires customer tracking data on player behavior (with personally
identifying information removed) to be made available to the public.
Prohibits licensees, except as specified, from: (1) accepting bets or wagers on any
game, event, or activity that is not Internet poker; and (2) using credit cards
for Internet gambling. Establishes a violation for operating a place of public
accommodation for accessing Internet poker facilities.
Requires a fine, imprisonment up to three years, or both for certain rules of play
violations, including using tools, electronic devices, or software to obtain a
prohibited or unfair advantage or to defraud any licensee or persons placing bets or
wagers with a licensee.
Amends the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 to prohibit a
financial transaction provider from being held liable for a financial activity or
transaction, including a payments processing activity, in connection with a bet or
wager permitted by this Act or the Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978 without
actual knowledge of any applicable federal or state law violation. Shields such
providers from liability for blocking or refusing to honor specified transactions.
Requires the Director of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network to investigate
unlicensed Internet gambling enterprises and provide the Department of the
Treasury with a list of such enterprises updated at least every 60 days.
Deems financial transaction providers to have actual knowledge that persons or
entities are unlicensed Internet gambling enterprises if they are included on such
list or, under other specified circumstances, when information in addition to the list
is available to such a provider demonstrating that a person or entity is such an
enterprise.
H.R.3081
Latest Title: TELE-MED Act of 2015
Sponsor: Rep Nunes, Devin [CA-22] (introduced 7/15/2015)
Cosponsors (27)
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
SUMMARY AS OF:
TELEmedicine for MEDicare Act of 2015 or the TELE-MED Act of 2015
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This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to allow a Medicare
provider to provide telemedicine services to a Medicare beneficiary who is in a
different state from the one in which the provider is licensed or authorized to
provide health care services. The licensing or authorizing state has jurisdiction to
enforce its licensure or other legal authorization requirements with regard to such a
provision of service.
H.R.3280
Latest Title: Widening Internet Readiness for Employment Development Act
Sponsor: Rep Swalwell, Eric [CA-15] (introduced 7/29/2015)
Cosponsors (4)
Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training.
SUMMARY AS OF:
Widening Internet Readiness for Employment Development Act or the
WIRED Act
Amends the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to revise one-stop delivery
system requirements.
Requires the Department of Labor to establish certain standards and best practices
for the provision of employment and training services for adults and dislocated
workers on Internet websites maintained by one-stop delivery systems.
Requires the one-stop delivery system, at a minimum, to make those services
accessible through an Internet website that:
is unique to the particular one-stop system, and

meets and incorporates those standards and best practices.
H.R.3326
Latest Title: Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2015
Sponsor: Rep Collins, Doug [GA-9] (introduced 7/29/2015)
Cosponsors (150)
H.R.3582
Latest Title: Digital Learning Equity Act of 2015
Sponsor: Rep Welch, Peter [VT] (introduced 9/18/2015)
Cosponsors (5)
Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary
Education.
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SUMMARY AS OF:
Digital Learning Act of 2015
This bill amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to establish
a digital learning equity demonstration program that awards grants for
developing, implementing, and evaluating strategies and methods to increase
students' home access to the Internet and digital learning resources. This may
include such practices as: (1) providing a targeted distribution of technology, such
as a modem, that provides out-of-school Internet access to eligible students; (2)
educating and training students, parents, and educators regarding the appropriate
use of that technology outside of the classroom; and (3) evaluating the
effectivenessof relevant strategies and methods.
The Federal Communications Commission must complete and publicly disseminate
the finding of a national study on the educational trends and behaviors associated
with access to digital learning resources outside ofthe classroom.
H.R.3654
Latest Title: Combat Terrorist Use of Social Media Act of 2015
Sponsor: Rep Poe, Ted [TX-2] (introduced 9/30/2015)
Cosponsors (19)
in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security
and Governmental Affairs.
Latest Action: 2/1/2016 Star Print ordered on the bill.
SUMMARY AS OF:
12/16/2015--Passed House amended.
Combat Terrorist Use of Social Media Act of 2015

(Sec. 2) This bill requires the President to transmit to Congress a report on U.S.
strategy to combat terrorists' and terrorist organizations' use of social media.
The report must include:
an evaluation of the role social media plays in radicalization in the United

States and elsewhere;
an analysis of how terrorists and terrorist organizations
are using social media;
recommendations to improve the federal government's efforts to disrupt and
counter the use of social media by terrorists and terrorist organizations;
an analysis of how social media is being used for counter-radicalization
and counter-propaganda purposes, irrespective of whether such efforts are
made by the federal government;
Page | 37
an assessment of the value to law

enforcement of terrorists' social media posts; and
an overview of training available to law enforcement and intelligence
personnel to combat terrorists' use of social media and
recommendations for improving or expanding existing training opportunities.
(Sec. 3) The President must also transmit to Congress a comprehensive strategy to

counter terrorists' and terrorist organizations' use of social media, as
committed to in the President's 2011 Strategic Implementation Plan for
Empowering Local Partners to Prevent Violent Extremism in the United States.
H.R.3959
Latest Title: Innovate America Act
Sponsor: Rep Cartwright, Matt [PA-17] (introduced 11/5/2015)
Cosponsors (2)
Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training.
SUMMARY AS OF:
Innovate America Act
The Department of Education, in coordination with the Director of the National
Science Foundation (NSF), shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to state
educational agencies to establish or expand the number of science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics, including computer science (STEM) secondary
schools in the United States from approximately 100 to approximately 200.
The Department, in coordination with the NSF Director, shall:
develop a database identifying existing STEM secondary schools, and

study how to improve retention rates of students in STEM programs at
institutions of higher education.
The President must ensure that at least 15% of all federal funds available each
fiscal year for undergraduate research opportunities at 2-year and 4-year degreegranting institutions of higher education are used to fund research opportunities for
postsecondary students.
The NSF Partnerships for Innovation Program shall administer a Technology
Commercialization Awards Pilot Program through which promising technology
advances derived from NSF research grants must be eligible for funding.
The National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 is amended to extend
the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program to cover specifically informatics and
computer science.
Page | 38
The Department of Commerce must establish a manufacturing assistance program

for small and medium-sized domestic manufacturers to promote the manufacturing
of goods in the United States and enable them to be competitive in global markets.
The Under Secretary for International Trade of Commerce shall report to Congress
on the global competitiveness of 20 U.S. industries that export the most goods or
services and the domestic and foreign regulatory and policy barriers to increasing
their exports.
This bill also requires:
the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, beginning in FY2017,

to devise a strategy to reduce overall government printing costs over a 10year period;
each federal department and agency to issue guidance on the appropriate
use of award and incentive fees in their programs; and
return to the Treasury of any funds intended to be awarded as incentive fees
to contractors that are not paid owing to contractor inability to meet
established criteria in this Act.
H.R.4057
Latest Title: Interstate Swatting Hoax Act
Sponsor: Rep Clark, Katherine M. [MA-5] (introduced
11/18/2015)
Cosponsors (7)
Investigations.
H.R.4160
Latest Title: Rural Broadband Infrastructure Investment Act
Sponsor: Rep Huffman, Jared [CA-2] (introduced 12/2/2015)
Cosponsors (7)
Referred to the Subcommittee on Commodity Exchanges, Energy, and Credit.
SUMMARY AS OF:
Rural Broadband Infrastructure Investment Act
This bill amends the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 to authorize the Department
of Agriculture (USDA) to provide additional loans and grants for the development of
telecommunications and broadband services in rural areas.
USDA may give preference to loan applications for projects that support the
development of telecommunications services in rural areas on a multijurisdictional
basis.
Page | 39
In evaluating applications, USDA must consider whether:
the project was developed through the collaboration and participation of

multiple stakeholders in the service area;
the applicant understands the regional resources that could support the
project, including natural resources, human resources, infrastructure, and
financial resources; and
the project has clear objectives and a means to establish performance
measures.
For the purpose of loans, loan guarantees, and grants, a rural area is any area of
the United States not included within the boundaries of any incorporated or
unincorporated city, village, or borough having a population in excess of 20,000
inhabitants.
USDA may provide grants, in addition to loans and loan guarantees permitted under
current law, for the construction, improvement, and acquisition of facilities and
equipment for broadband service in rural areas. In providing loans, loan
guarantees, and grants, USDA may give priority to multijurisdictional projects for
the development of broadbandservice in rural areas that are developed through
the collaboration and participation of multiple stakeholders in the service area.
H.R.4310
Latest Title: Vet Electronic Trails Act of 2015
Sponsor: Rep Salmon, Matt [AZ-5] (introduced 12/18/2015)
Cosponsors (2)
Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security.
SUMMARY AS OF:
Vet Electronic Trails Act of 2015
This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to require the Department of
Homeland Security, before issuing any immigrant or nonimmigrant visa, to check a
person's interactions on and posting of material to the Internet (including social
media services) in order to ensure that he or she is not a U.S. security threat.
H.R.4526
Latest Title: Stop Online Booking Scams Act of 2016
Sponsor: Rep Frankel, Lois [FL-22] (introduced 2/10/2016)
Cosponsors (16)
to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
SUMMARY AS OF:
Stop Online Booking Scams Act of 2016
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This bill amends the Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act (ROSCA) to prohibit
a third party online hotel reservation seller (an online seller that is not affiliated
with the person who owns the hotel or provides the hotel services or
accommodations) from charging a consumer's credit card, debit card, bank
account, or other financial account for any good or service sold in an Internet
transaction, unless the seller discloses all material terms of the transaction.
Before the conclusion of the transaction, the seller must describe, and disclose the
cost of, the offered good or service.
The seller must also disclose, in a manner that is continuously visible to the
consumer throughout the transaction process, the fact that it is not affiliated with
the person who: (1) owns the hotel, or (2) provides the hotel services or
accommodations.
States may bring actions in federal courts to obtain damages, restitution,
compensation, or other relief for ROSCA violations. (Currently, states may bring
such actions for only injunctive relief.)
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) must publish on its website an assessment of:
(1) consumers' capacity to understand which company they are transacting with
during online hotel reservation shopping, (2) consumer harm from such
uncertainty, and (3) whether any practice by a third party online hotel reservation
seller violates ROSCA.
The bill expresses the sense of Congress that the FTC should revise its website to
make it easier for consumers and businesses to report complaints of deceptive
practices with online booking of hotel reservations.
H.R.4596
Latest Title: Small Business Broadband Deployment Act
Sponsor: Rep Walden, Greg [OR-2] (introduced 2/24/2016)
Cosponsors
(None)
Related Bills: H.RES.640, S.2283
in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation.
House Reports: 114-444, 114-444 Part 2
SUMMARY AS OF:
(There are 2 other summaries)
(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on March
7, 2016. The summary of that version is repeated here.)
Small Business Broadband Deployment Act
Page | 41
(Sec. 2) This bill exempts for five years any small business broadband Internet
access service provider with no more than 250,000 subscribers from the
enhancements to the transparency rule of the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) under which any person engaged in the provision of broadband Internet
access service must disclose publicly accurate information regarding the network
management practices, performance, and commercial terms of
its broadband Internet access services sufficient for:
consumers to make informed choices regarding their use; and

content, application, service, and device providers to develop, market, and
maintain Internet offerings.
The FCC shall report to specified congressional committees, within 180 days after
enactment of this Act, its recommendations (together with supporting data) on
whether:
this exception should be made permanent, and

the definition of "small business" for these purposes should be modified.
S.23
Latest Title: Copyright and Marriage Equality Act
Sponsor: Sen Leahy, Patrick J. [VT] (introduced 1/6/2015)
Cosponsors (8)
Latest Major Action: 1/6/2015 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice
and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
SUMMARY AS OF:
Copyright and Marriage Equality Act
Amends federal copyright law to revise the definition of "widow" or "widower" for
purposes of provisions concerning the transfer of a copyrightto an author's spouse
or other next of kin following the author's death. Declares that an individual is the
widow or widower of an author if the courts of the state in which the individual and
the author were married (or, if the individual and the author were not married in
any state but were validly married in another jurisdiction, the courts of any state)
would find that the individual and the author were validly married at the time of the
author's death. (Currently, only the author's surviving spouse under the law of the
author's domicile at the time of death is considered a widow.)
S.40
Latest Title: Online Competition and Consumer Choice Act of 2015
Sponsor: Sen Leahy, Patrick J. [VT] (introduced 1/7/2015)
Cosponsors (5)
Page | 42
and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
SUMMARY AS OF:
Online Competition and Consumer Choice Act of 2015
Directs the Federal Communications Commission to promulgate regulations that
prohibit broadband providers, in transmitting network traffic over the
broadband Internet access service of an end user, from: (1) entering an
agreement with an edge provider (a provider of Internet content, applications,
services, or access devices) to give preferential treatment or priority to the traffic of
such edge provider in exchange for consideration (commonly referred to as "paid
prioritization"); and (2) giving preferential treatment or priority to content,
applications, services, or devices that are provided or operated by such broadband
provider or an affiliate of such broadband provider.
Prohibits this Act from superseding any obligation or authorization of a broadband
provider to address the needs of emergency communications, law enforcement,
public safety, or national security authorities.
Sets forth enforcement authority under the Communications Act of 1934, with
modified forfeiture standards.
S.177
Latest Title: Data Security and Breach Notification Act of 2015
Sponsor: Sen Nelson, Bill [FL] (introduced 1/13/2015)
Cosponsors (1)
Latest Major Action: 1/13/2015 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read
twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
SUMMARY AS OF:
Data Security and Breach Notification Act of 2015
Requires the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to promulgate regulations requiring
commercial entities, nonprofit and for-profit corporations, estates, trusts,
cooperatives, and other specified entities that own or possess data containing
personal information (covered entities), or that contract to have a third-party
maintain or process such data for the entity, to implement information security
policies and procedures for the treatment and protection of personal information.
Establishes procedures to be followed in the event of an information security
breach. Requires a covered entity that discovers a breach to notify the FTC (unless
Page | 43
the covered entity has already notified a federal entity designated by the
Department of Homeland Security [DHS] to receive such information) and affected
individuals. Sets forth requirements concerning such notification, including methods
of notification and timeliness requirements. Allows an exemption from notification
requirements if such entity reasonably concludes that there is no reasonable risk of
identity theft, fraud, or other unlawful conduct. Establishes a presumption that
there is no such risk for encrypted data.
Directs DHS to designate a federal entity that covered entities would be required to
notify if a security breach involves: (1) the personal information of more than
10,000 individuals, (2) a database containing the personal information of more than
1 million individuals, (3) federal government databases, or (4) the personal
information of federal employees or contractors known to be involved in national
security or law enforcement.
Requires the designated entity to provide each notice it receives to:

the FTC;
security purposes.
Sets forth enforcement provisions for the FTC, state attorneys general, and the
Attorney General.
Establishes criminal penalties of a fine, imprisonment for up to five years, or both,
for concealment of a security breach that results in economic harm of at least
$1,000 to an individual.
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S.240
Latest Title: Community Broadband Act of 2015
Sponsor: Sen Booker, Cory A. [NJ] (introduced 1/22/2015)
Cosponsors (4)
SUMMARY AS OF:
Community Broadband Act of 2015
Bars states or local governments from prohibiting or inhibiting states, local
government agencies, entities affiliated with state or local agencies, or Indian tribes
from providing telecommunications services or advanced telecommunications
capabilities to any person or any public or private entity.
Prohibits government providers of public telecommunications services from favoring
themselves over competing providers in the application of regulations, ordinances,
public rights-of-way, or permitting requirements.
Directs local governments or affiliates intending to provide public
telecommunications services to consider public-private partnerships.
Requires local governments or affiliates, before providing telecommunications
services to the public, to provide public notice and opportunities for public input and
private-sector bidding.
Provides an exemption from the prohibition on local governments favoring
themselves in the application of regulations, and from the requirement to provide
public notice and private bidding opportunities, during an emergency declared by
the President, a governor, or an authorized elected local official.
S.424
Latest Title: Wi-Fi Innovation Act
Sponsor: Sen Rubio, Marco [FL] (introduced 2/10/2015)
Cosponsors (1)
SUMMARY AS OF:
Wi-Fi Innovation Act
Page | 45
Requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to provide additional

unlicensed spectrum in the 5850-5925 megahertz band under technical rules
suitable for the widespread commercial development of unlicensed operations.
Provides for such technical rules to permit outdoor unlicensed operations without
requiring devices to dynamically detect signals from other systems.
Directs the FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology to seek public comments on
proposals for interference-mitigation techniques and potential rechannelization that
would accommodate both incumbent licensees and widespread commercial
unlicensed operations in such band.
Sets forth a process for the FCC to test mitigation measures and methods of
sharing spectrum with unlicensed devices within such band in a manner that would
not cause harmful interference to incumbent licensees.
Directs the FCC, if it determines that existing licensees would not be harmed by
interference, to modify regulations to adopt technical rules for widespread
commercial deployment of unlicensed operations for such band. Prohibits
modification of such regulations if the FCC determines that mitigation,
rechannelization, or sharing would not prevent harmful interference. Requires the
FCC to notify Congress, the Department of Transportation, and the National
Telecommunications and Information Administration of a harmful interference
determination.
Requires the FCC to modify regulations relating to Intelligent Transportation
Systems radio service and dedicated short-range communications service on-board
units if such modification would maximize utility of such band while protecting
existing licensees.
Directs the FCC to make recommendations to Congress regarding the availability of
broadband Internet access using unlicensed spectrum and wireless networks in
low income neighborhoods.
S.431
Latest Title: Internet Tax Freedom Forever Act
Sponsor: Sen Thune, John [SD] (introduced 2/10/2015)
Cosponsors (50)
twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
SUMMARY AS OF:
Internet Tax Freedom Forever Act
Page | 46
Amends the Internet Tax Freedom Act to make permanent the ban on state and
local taxation of Internet access and on multiple or discriminatory taxes on
electronic commerce.
S.512
Latest Title: Law Enforcement Access to Data Stored Abroad Act
Sponsor: Sen Hatch, Orrin G. [UT] (introduced 2/12/2015)
Cosponsors (13)
twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Amends the federal criminal code to authorize a governmental entity to require the
disclosure by a provider of electronic communication service or remote computing
service of the contents of a wire or electronic communication that is in electronic
storage with or otherwise stored, held, or maintained by the provider only pursuant
to a warrant issued by a court of competent jurisdiction.
Authorizes such a warrant to require such disclosure regardless of where such
contents may be in electronic storage or otherwise stored, held, or maintained by
the provider if the holder of the account the contents of which are sought by the
warrant is a U.S. person. Requires a court, on a service provider's motion, to
modify or vacate such a warrant upon finding that it would require the provider to
violate the laws of a foreign country.
Sets forth requirements for government notification of provider customers or
subscribers regarding the receipt of communication contents pursuant to such a
warrant.
Directs the Attorney General to: (1) establish a form for use by a foreign
government filing a mutual legal assistance treaty (MLAT) request; (2) establish an
online docketing system for all MLAT requests; and (3) publish statistics annually
on MLAT requests made by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to foreign
governments, and by foreign governments to DOJ, to obtain the contents of
communications or other information or records from a provider of electronic
communications or remote computing services.
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) data localization requirements imposed
by foreign governments on data providers are incompatible with the borderless
nature of the Internet, an impediment to online innovation, and unnecessary to
meet the needs of law enforcement; and (2) DOJ, the Department of State, and the
U.S. Trade Representative should pursue open data flow policies with foreign
nations.
Page | 47
S.547
Latest Title: A bill to establish a regulatory framework for the comprehensive
protection of personal data for individuals under the aegis of the Federal Trade
Commission, to amend the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 to
improve provisions relating to collection, use, and disclosure of personal
information of children, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Menendez, Robert [NJ] (introduced 2/24/2015)
Cosponsors
(None)
Related Bills: H.R.1053, H.R.2734
TITLE I--COMMERCIAL PRIVACY
Commercial Privacy Bill of Rights Act of 2015
Directs the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to initiate a rulemaking to require
covered entities that collect or use information about individuals to carry out
security measures to protect personally identifiable information, unique identifier
information, and other information that may be used to identify a specific
individual.
Defines "covered entity" as a person (a person, partnership, or corporation over
which the FTC has authority under the Federal Trade Commission Act, a common
carrier subject to the Communications Act of 1934, or a nonprofit organization) who
collects, uses, transfers, or stores such information concerning more than 5,000
individuals during any consecutive 12-month period.
Directs the FTC to require covered entities to: (1) notify individuals of their
practices regarding the collection, use, transfer, and storage of such information;
(2) provide timely notice before implementing a material change in such practices;
(3) offer individuals a mechanism to provide opt-in consent for any unauthorized
use of such information or a third party's use for behavioral advertising or
marketing; and (4) provide access to, and methods to correct, stored information.
Permits covered entities to execute contracts with service providers to collect, use,
and store information on behalf of the covered entity.
Restricts covered entities to the collection of only as much information relating to
an individual as reasonably necessary to: (1) process or enforce a transaction or
deliver a requested service, including inventory management, financial reporting
and accounting, planning, product or service improvement, forecasting, and
customer support; (2) prevent or detect fraud or provide for a secure environment;
(3) investigate a possible crime or comply with a law; (4) market or advertise to
such individual if the information used for such marketing or advertising was
collected directly by the covered entity; and (5) conduct internal operations and
customer research, including the collection of information about Internet website
Page | 48
visits and click-through rates to improve website navigation and the customer's
experience.
Limits the duration of time that a covered entity is authorized to retain such
information to only the period necessary to provide the transaction, deliver the
service, or comply with a law. Restricts the use of retained information to the
purpose for which it was collected or a reasonably related purpose.
Directs covered entities that contract to transfer information to third parties to
prohibit such third parties from combining transferred information that is not
personally identifiable with other information in order to identify the individual
without the individual's opt-in consent.
Requires covered entities to attempt to establish procedures to ensure the accuracy
of personally identifiable information that could be used to deny consumers benefits
or cause significant harm.
Sets forth the circumstances under which a covered entity may be required to
provide notice of a breach of security to: (1) U.S. citizens or residents whose
personally identifiable information is reasonably believed to have been acquired or
accessed, (2) the FTC, (3) third parties, (4) service providers, and (5) credit
reporting agencies.
Exempts a covered entity from certain notice requirements if:
the covered entity, following a breach of security, concludes that there is no

reasonable risk of identity theft, fraud, or other unlawful conduct; or
the covered entity participates in a security program that blocks the use of
the personally identifiable information to initiate an unauthorized financial
transaction before it is charged to the account of the individual and that
notifies affected individuals after a security breach that resulted in attempted
fraud or an attempted unauthorized transaction.
Requires a covered entity to notify a federal government entity designated by the

Department of Homeland Security if a breach of security involves: (1) the
personally identifiable information of more than 10,000 individuals, (2) a database
containing the personally identifiable information of more than 1 million individuals,
(3) federal government databases, or (4) the personally identifiable information of
federal employees or contractors involved in national security or law enforcement.
Directs the designated entity to provide each notice it receives to:

the FTC;
Page | 49

security purposes.
Sets forth enforcement provisions for the FTC, the Department of Justice, and
states. Establishes civil penalties for state actions against covered entities that
recklessly or repeatedly violate specified requirements.
Prohibits this title from being construed to provide a private right of action.
Directs the FTC to initiate a rulemaking to establish requirements for a
nongovernmental organization to administer safe harbor programs under which
participants are exempted from certain requirements of this title if they implement
particular mechanisms that protect against unauthorized information uses and
provide consumers a means of opting out of the transfer of specified information to
third parties.
TITLE II--ONLINE PRIVACY OF CHILDREN

only Internetwebsites and online services) and to make such definition
information; and

Page | 50

regulations prescribed under this title.
purposes of this title, except as permitted by regulation.
consistent with the Fair Information Practices Principles established by this title.
Requires the FTC to promulgate regulations that require operators to implement
mechanisms that permit a user to erase content submitted by such user that is
publicly available through such websites, services, or applications and that contains
or displays personal information of children or minors.
S.597
Latest Title: States' Rights Municipal Broadband Act of 2015
Sponsor: Sen Tillis, Thom [NC] (introduced 2/26/2015)
Cosponsors (None)
States' Rights Municipal Broadband Act of 2015

Amends the Telecommunications Act of 1996 to declare that the Federal
Communications Commission's (FCC's) authority to take actions to accelerate
deployment of advanced telecommunications capabilities shall not be construed to
authorize the FCC to prevent states from implementing state laws regarding the
Page | 51
provision of broadband Internet access service by states, municipalities, or

political subdivisions.
S.668
Latest Title: Data Broker Accountability and Transparency Act of 2015
Sponsor: Sen Markey, Edward J. [MA] (introduced 3/4/2015)
Cosponsors (3)
SUMMARY AS OF:
Data Broker Accountability and Transparency Act of 2015
Prohibits data brokers from obtaining or causing to be disclosed personal
information or any other information relating to any person by making a false,
fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation, including by providing any
document that the broker knows or should know to: (1) be forged, counterfeit, lost,
stolen, or fraudulently obtained; or (2) contain a false, fictitious, or fraudulent
statement or representation.
Defines "data broker" as a commercial entity that collects, assembles, or maintains
personal information concerning an individual who is not a customer or an
employee of that entity in order to sell or provide third party access to the
information. Allows the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to exempt certain data
brokers from this Act.
Requires data brokers to establish procedures to ensure the accuracy of: (1) the
personal information they collect, assemble, or maintain; and (2) any other
information that specifically identifies an individual, unless the information only
identifies an individual's name or address.
Requires data brokers to provide individuals a cost-free means to review their
personal or identifying information.
Allows individuals to dispute the accuracy of their personal information with a
written request that the data broker make a correction.
Requires a data broker, with regard to disputed public record information that is
available for public inspection from federal, state, or local governments, to: (1)
inform the individual of the source of the information and, if reasonably available,
where to direct the individual's request for correction; or (2) correct the inaccuracy
in the broker's records if the individual provides proof that the public record has
been corrected or that the broker was reporting the information incorrectly.
Page | 52
Requires a data broker, with regard to disputed non-public information of a private

nature, to: (1) note the information that is disputed, (2) independently verify the
information, and (3) correct the inaccuracy if the broker was reporting the
information incorrectly.
Requires data brokers to provide individuals with a reasonable means of expressing
a preference to exclude their information from being used, shared, or sold for
marketing purposes.
Sets forth authority for the FTC and states to enforce this Act.
S.698
Latest Title: Marketplace Fairness Act of 2015
Sponsor: Sen Enzi, Michael B. [WY] (introduced 3/10/2015)
Cosponsors (22)
SUMMARY AS OF:
Marketplace Fairness Act of 2015
Authorizes each member state under the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement
(the multistate agreement for the administration and collection of sales and use
taxes adopted on November 12, 2002) to require all sellers not qualifying for a
small-seller exception (applicable to sellers with annual gross receipts in total U.S.
remote sales not exceeding $1 million) to collect and remit sales and use taxes with
respect to remote sales under provisions of the Agreement, but only if such
Agreement includes minimum simplification requirements relating to the
administration of the tax, audits, and streamlined filing. Defines "remote sale" as a
sale of goods or services into a state in which the seller would not legally be
required to pay, collect, or remit state or local sales and use taxes unless provided
by this Act. Prohibits states from beginning the exercise of the authority granted by
this Act for a specified period after enactment.
S.779
Latest Title: Fair Access to Science and Technology Research Act of 2015
Sponsor: Sen Cornyn, John [TX] (introduced 3/18/2015)
Cosponsors (5)
Latest Major Action: 3/8/2016 Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under
General Orders. Calendar No. 384.
Senate Reports: 114-224
SUMMARY AS OF:
Fair Access to Science and Technology Research Act of 2015
Page | 53
Requires each federal agency with extramural research expenditures of over $100
million to develop a federal research public access policy that is consistent with,
and that advances, the purposes of the agency and that follows common
procedures for the collection and depositing of research papers.
Makes each federal research public access policy applicable to: (1) researchers
employed by the federal agency whose works remain in the public domain, and (2)
researchers funded by the agency. Specifies exclusions.
Requires each federal agency to submit an annual report on its federal research
public access policy to specified congressional committees.
S.757
Latest Title: No Stolen Trademarks Honored in America Act
Sponsor: Sen Nelson, Bill [FL] (introduced 3/17/2015)
Cosponsors (3)
SUMMARY AS OF:
No Stolen Trademarks Honored in America Act
Amends the Department of Commerce and Related Agencies Appropriations Act,
1999 to prohibit U.S. courts from recognizing, enforcing, or otherwise validating
any assertion of rights by an individual (under current law, by a designated Cuban
national) of a mark, trade name, or commercial name that was used in connection
with a business or assets that were confiscated by the Cuban government unless
the original owner of such mark or name, or such owner's bona fide successor, has
expressly consented. Applies such prohibition only if the individual asserting the
rights knew or had reason to know at the time of acquiring the rights asserted that
the mark or name was the same or substantially similar to the mark or name used
in connection with the business or assets that were confiscated.
S.851
Latest Title: Digital Goods and Services Tax Fairness Act of 2015
Cosponsors (4)
SUMMARY AS OF:
Digital Goods and Services Tax Fairness Act of 2015
Page | 54
Prohibits a state or local jurisdiction from imposing multiple or discriminatory taxes

on the sale or use of a digital good or service delivered or transferred electronically
to a customer. Excludes from the definition of "digital service" a service that is
predominantly attributable to the direct, contemporaneous expenditure of live
human effort, skill, or expertise, a telecommunications service, an ancillary service,
an Internet access service, an audio or video programming service, or a hotel
intermediary service.
Restricts taxation of a digital good or service to taxation by a state or local
jurisdiction whose territorial limits encompass a customer tax address, as defined
by this Act. Makes the seller of digital goods or services responsible for obtaining
and maintaining such address. Provides for the taxation of digital goods and
services transactions that are aggregated and not separately stated.
S.1027
Latest Title: Data Breach Notification and Punishing Cyber Criminals Act of 2015
Sponsor: Sen Kirk, Mark Steven [IL] (introduced 4/21/2015)
Cosponsors (1)
SUMMARY AS OF:
Data Breach Notification and Punishing Cyber Criminals Act of 2015
Requires certain commercial entities that acquire, maintain, store, or utilize
individuals' nonpublic personal information to protect and secure any such data that
is held unencrypted in electronic form.
Directs entities that own or license such data, following discovery of a security
breach, to notify each individual U.S. citizen or resident: (1) whose personal
information is reasonably believed to have been accessed and acquired by an
unauthorized person; or (2) who may be at risk of identity theft, fraud, actual
financial harm, or other unlawful conduct.
Requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to designate a federal entity
to receive information from commercial entities regarding breaches, incidents,
threats, and vulnerabilities. Requires the DHS-designated entity to provide such
information to: (1) the U.S. Secret Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation;
(2) the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for civil law enforcement purposes; and
(3) other federal agencies for law enforcement, national security, or data security
purposes.
Directs entities to notify the DHS-designated entity if a breach involves: (1) the
personal information of more than 1,000 individuals, (2) a data system containing
the personal information of more than 250,000 individuals, (3) federal databases,
or (4) the personal information of primarily federal employees and contractors
involved in national security or law enforcement.
Page | 55
Provides alternative compliance procedures for: (1) third parties that maintain
personal data in electronic form on behalf of another entity, and (2) certain
electronic data service providers.
Sets forth FTC enforcement authority.
Exempts from the requirements of this Act: (1) financial institutions subject to the
Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, and (2) entities subject to health information privacy
regulations. Provides for the requirements of this Act to apply to certain entities in
place of security practices and notification standards currently enforced by the
Federal Communications Commission.
Increases maximum fines or terms of imprisonment for certain cyber-related
criminal offenses involving identity theft or fraud.
Directs the Department of State to consult with governments of countries in which
international cyber criminals are physically present (if the countries do not have a
mutual legal assistance or an extradition treaty with the United States) to
determine what actions those governments have taken to prosecute and prevent
cyber or intellectual property crimes against U.S. interests or citizens.
Preempts certain state data security laws.
S.1472
Latest Title: Broadband Adoption Act of 2015
Sponsor: Sen Murphy, Christopher S. [CT] (introduced
6/1/2015)
Cosponsors (5)
SUMMARY AS OF:
Broadband Adoption Act of 2015
Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to direct the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) to adopt a final rule establishing support under the Universal
Service Fund Lifeline Assistance Program for qualifying low-income consumers in
urban and rural areas to purchase broadband Internet access service at reduced
charges by reimbursing participating providers for each such consumer served.
Requires the program to allow qualifying consumers to elect to apply support from
the Lifeline program to basic telephone service, voice telephony service, or
broadband Internet access service, regardless of whether the service is purchased
as a stand-alone service or in a bundle.
Page | 56
Directs the FCC to consult with the federal-state joint board on universal service
regarding ways to encourage states to develop programs in conjunction with the
Lifeline program.
Requires the program to be technology neutral to promote competition from service
providers.
Requires participating broadband Internet access service providers to obtain FCC
authorization to participate in the Lifeline program, but a provider is not required to
be an eligible telecommunications carrier to receive support under the program.
Directs the FCC to: (1) adopt regulations to prevent receipt of duplicative support
under the Lifeline program, and (2) establish a national database to determine
consumer eligibility.
S.1551
Latest Title: Domain Openness Through Continued Oversight Matters Act of 2015
Cosponsors(5)
Latest Major Action: 6/25/2015 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status:
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with
an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
SUMMARY AS OF:
Domain Openness Through Continued Oversight Matters Act of 2015 or the
DOTCOM Act of 2015
from permitting the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's
(NTIA's) role in the performance of theInternet Assigned Numbers Authority
(IANA) functions to cease until 30 legislative days after the Assistant
Secretary submits to Congress a report that contains: (1) the proposal relating to
the transition of the NTIA's stewardship of the IANA functions that was developed in
a process convened by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers
(ICANN) at the request of the NTIA, and (2) the following required certifications by
the Assistant Secretary.
Requires the Assistant Secretary to certify that: (1) such proposal supports and
enhances the multistakeholder model of Internetgovernance, maintains the
security, stability, and resiliency of theInternet domain name system, meets the
needs of global customers and partners of the IANA services, maintains the
openness of the Internet, and does not replace the role of the NTIA with a
government-led or intergovernmental organization solution; and (2) the required
changes to ICANN's bylaws contained in the final report of ICANN's Cross
Community Working Group on Enhancing ICANN Accountability and the changes to
Page | 57
ICANN's bylaws required by ICANN's IANA Stewardship Transition Coordination

Group have been implemented.
S.1563
Latest Title: Do Not Track Kids Act of 2015
Sponsor: Sen Markey, Edward J. [MA] (introduced 6/11/2015)
Cosponsors (3)
SUMMARY AS OF:

onlyInternet websites and online services) and to make such definition
information; and

regulations prescribed under this Act.
Page | 58
purposes of this Act, except as permitted by regulation.
consistent with the Fair Information Practices Principles established by this Act.
Requires the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to promulgate regulations that
require operators to implement mechanisms that permit a user to erase content
submitted by such user that is publicly available through such websites, services, or
applications and that contains or displays personal information of children or
minors.
S.1621
Latest Title: Ending Mobile and Broadband Welfare Act of 2015
Sponsor: Sen Vitter, David [LA] (introduced 6/18/2015)
Cosponsors (None)
SUMMARY AS OF:
Ending Mobile and Broadband Welfare Act of 2015S.1668
Sponsor: Sen Graham, Lindsey [SC] (introduced 6/24/2015)
Cosponsors (8)
SUMMARY AS OF:
Page | 59
to provide that the prohibition against using a wire communication facility for the
transmission of bets or wagers, wagering information, or wagering proceeds shall:
(1) apply to any bet or wager (currently, to bets or wagers on any sporting event or
contest); and (2) include any transmission over the Internet carried interstate or
in foreign commerce.
States that nothing in this Act shall be construed to preempt any state law
prohibiting gambling or to alter, limit, or extend: (1) the relationship between the
Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978 and other federal laws currently in effect, (2)
the ability of a state licensed lottery or state licensed retailer to make on-premises
retail lottery sales or to transmit information ancillary to such sales, (3) the ability
of a state licensed gaming establishment or a tribal gaming establishment to
transmit information assisting in the placing of a bet or water on the physical
premises of the establishment, or (4) the relationship between federal laws and
state charitable gaming laws.
Prohibits a commercial mobile service or Internet access service provider from
receiving universal service support for the provision of such service through the
Federal Communications Commission's Lifeline program, which provides discounts
on monthly telephone service to qualifying low-income consumers.
S.1668
Cosponsors (8)
SUMMARY AS OF:
Page | 60

S.1668
Cosponsors (8)
SUMMARY AS OF:
S.2044
Latest Title: Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015
Cosponsors (8)
Senate Reports: 114-175
SUMMARY AS OF:
12/14/2015--Passed Senate amended.
(There are 2 other summaries)

Page | 61
Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015

(Sec. 2) This bill makes a provision of a form contract void from the inception if it:
(1) prohibits or restricts an individual who is a party to such a contract from
engaging in written, oral, or pictorial reviews, or other similar performance
assessments or analyses of, including by electronic means, the goods, services, or
conduct of a person that is also a party to the contract; (2) imposes penalties or
fees against individuals who engage in such communications; or (3) transfers or
requires the individual to transfer intellectual property rights in review or feedback
content (with the exception of a nonexclusive license to use the content) in any
otherwise lawful communications about such person or the goods or services
provided by such person.
A "form contract" is a contract with standardized terms: (1) used by a person in the
course of selling or leasing the person's goods or services, and (2) imposed on an
individual without a meaningful opportunity to negotiate the standardized terms.
The definition excludes an employer-employee or independent contractor contract.
The standards under which provisions of a form contract are considered void under
this Act shall not be construed to affect:
legal duties of confidentiality;

civil actions for defamation, libel, or slander; or
a party's right to establish terms and conditions for the creation of
photographs or video of such party's property when those photographs or
video are created by an employee or independent contractor of a commercial
entity and are solely intended to be used for commercial purposes by that
entity.
Such standards also shall not be construed to affect any party's right to remove or
refuse to display publicly on an Internet website or webpage owned, operated, or
controlled by such party content that: (1) contains the personal information or
likeness of another person or is libelous, harassing, abusive, obscene, vulgar,
sexually explicit, inappropriate with respect to race, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, or
other intrinsic characteristic; (2) is unrelated to the goods or services offered by or
available at such party's website; or (3) is clearly false or misleading.
A provision shall not be considered void under this Act to the extent that it prohibits
disclosure or submission of, or reserves the right of a person or business that hosts
online consumer reviews or comments to remove, certain: (1) trade secrets or
commercial or financial information; (2) personnel and medical files; (3) law
enforcement records; (4) content that is unlawful or that a party has a right to
remove or refuse to display; or (5) computer viruses or other potentially damaging
computer code, processes, applications, or files.
A person is prohibited from offering form contracts containing a provision that is
considered void under this Act.
Page | 62
Enforcement authority is provided to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and

states.
The FTC must provide businesses with nonbinding best practices for compliance.
S.2604
Latest Title: Digital Security Commission Act of 2016
Sponsor: Sen Warner, Mark R. [VA] (introduced 2/29/2016)
Cosponsors (10)
twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs.
SUMMARY AS OF:
Digital Security Commission Act of 2016
This bill establishes in the legislative branch the National Commission on Security
and Technology Challenges to assess, and make recommendations for policy and
practice concerning, the issue of multiple security interests in the digital world,
including public safety, privacy, national security, and communications and data
protection, both now and throughout the next 10 years.
Members of the Commission shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House and
Senate majority leader (eight members), the minority leaders in the House and the
Senate (eight members), and the President (one member) from among U.S.
citizens with significant knowledge and primary experience in:
cryptography,
global commerce and economics,
federal law enforcement,
state and local law enforcement,
consumer-facing technology sector,
enterprise technology sector,
the intelligence community, and
the privacy and civil liberties community.
S.2270
Latest Title: Location Privacy Protection Act of 2015
Sponsor: Sen Franken, Al [MN] (introduced 11/10/2015)
Cosponsors (6)
Page | 63
S.2283
Latest Title: Small Business Broadband Deployment Act of 2015
Sponsor: Sen Daines, Steve [MT] (introduced 11/16/2015)
Cosponsors (4)
Related Bills: H.R.2666, H.R.4596
SUMMARY AS OF:
Small Business Broadband Deployment Act of 2015
This bill exempts small businesses from the enhancements to the transparency rule
of the Federal Communications Commission under which any person engaged in the
provision of broadband Internet access service must disclose publicly accurate
information regarding the network management practices, performance, and
commercial terms of its broadbandInternet access services sufficient for:
consumers to make informed choices regarding their use; and

content, application, service, and device providers to develop, market, and
maintain Internet offerings.
S.2517
Latest Title: Combat Terrorist Use of Social Media Act of 2016
Sponsor: Sen Johnson, Ron [WI] (introduced 2/9/2016)
Cosponsors (2)
Latest Major Action: 2/10/2016 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status:
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be
reported with an amendment favorably.
SUMMARY AS OF:
Combat Terrorist Use of Social Media Act of 2016
This bill requires the President to transmit to Congress a report on U.S. strategy to
combat terrorists' and terrorist organizations' use of social media.
The report must include:
an evaluation of the role social media plays in radicalization domestically and

abroad;
an analysis of how terrorists and terrorist organizations are using social
media;
Page | 64
recommendations to improve the federal government's efforts to monitor,

review, disrupt, and counter the use of social media by terrorists and
terrorist organizations;
an analysis of how the federal government is using social media to counter
terrorist propaganda and radicalization;
an assessment of the value to law enforcement and the intelligence
community of reviewing terrorists' social media posts; and
an overview of local, state, and federal training available to combat terrorists'
use of social media, the required qualifications of trainers, the intended
students of each program, and recommendations for improving or expanding
existing training participation.
The President must also transmit to Congress a comprehensive strategy to counter

terrorists' and terrorist organizations' use of social media, as committed to in the
President's 2011 Strategic Implementation Plan for Empowering Local Partners to
Prevent Violent Extremism in the United States.
S.2602
Latest Title: Restoring Internet Freedom Act
Sponsor: Sen Lee, Mike [UT] (introduced 2/25/2016)
Cosponsors (8)
SUMMARY AS OF:
Restoring Internet Freedom Act
This bill nullifies the rule adopted by the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) on February 26, 2015, relating to the reclassification of
broadband Internet access service as a telecommunications service.
The FCC is prohibited from reissuing such rule in substantially the same form, or
from issuing a new rule that is substantially the same, unless the rule is specifically
authorized by a law enacted after enactment of this Act.
S.2607
Latest Title: Developing Innovation and Growing the Internet of Things Act
Sponsor: Sen Fischer, Deb [NE] (introduced 3/1/2016)
Cosponsors (3)
SUMMARY AS OF:
Developing Innovation and Growing the Internet of Things Act or the
DIGIT Act
Page | 65
This bill requires the Department of Commerce to convene a working group of

federal stakeholders to provide recommendations to Congress on how to plan for
and encourage the proliferation of the Internet of Things (IoT) in the United States
for the growing number of connected and interconnected devices.
The working group must consult with nongovernmental stakeholders, including
industry experts, technology manufacturers, businesses, and consumer groups.
The bill expresses the sense of Congress that IoT policies should maximize the
potential and development of the IoT to benefit businesses, governments, and
consumers.
Within one year after enactment of this Act: (1) the working group must submit a
report regarding IoT spectrum needs, regulations, federal grant practices,
budgetary challenges, consumer protections, privacy and security, and the current
use of the technology by federal agencies and their preparedness to adopt it in the
future; and (2) the Federal Communications Commission must submit
recommendations concerning the IoT's current and future spectrum needs, the role
of licensed and unlicensed spectrum, and any regulatory barriers.
Page | 66

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H.R.

(There is 1 other summary)

Defines "critical merchandise" to include: (1) aircraft engines, appliances,

knowingly divulging to a governmental entity the contents of any communication

Makes it unlawful for information brokers to obtain or disclose personal information

(There is 1 other summary)

(Sec. 2) Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to replace various reporting

Latest Major Action: 6/24/2015 Received in the Senate.

(There is 1 other summary)

Domain Openness Through Continued Oversight Matters Act of 2015 or the

Defines "covered entity" as a person (a person, partnership, or corporation over

Exempts a covered entity from certain notice requirements if:

the covered entity, following a breach of security, concludes that there is no

Requires a covered entity to notify a federal government entity designated by the

the U.S. Secret Service;

privacy protections against the collection of personal or geolocation information

"operator" to include online and mobile applications (currently,

Requires verifiable parental consent, under specified circumstances, for the

Requires the FTC to promulgate regulations that require operators to implement

Establishes a Task Force on the Global Internet to be hosted by the Department of

Requires payment of performance royalties for sound recordings fixed before

reverse engineering to achieve interoperability of an independently created

Defines "demand letter" as any written communication directed to an unaffiliated

each claim of each patent allegedly infringed, including each accused

Sponsor: Rep Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [FL-23] (introduced

coordinate all ICE child exploitation initiatives, including investigations into

unrelated to educational instruction, school collaboration, or administrative

Requires such certification to ensure amendments to ICANN bylaws to prohibit

Requires an entity to which a patent, patent application, or interest is sold, granted,

Service Fund Lifeline Assistance Program for qualifying low-income consumers in

"operator" to include online and mobile applications (currently,

apply specifically to operators and providers of such websites, services, or

Requires verifiable parental consent, under specified circumstances, for the

recovering losses arising from prohibited gaming activity. Requires court-ordered

is unique to the particular one-stop system, and

(There is 1 other summary)

Combat Terrorist Use of Social Media Act of 2015

an evaluation of the role social media plays in radicalization in the United

an assessment of the value to law

(Sec. 3) The President must also transmit to Congress a comprehensive strategy to

develop a database identifying existing STEM secondary schools, and

The Department of Commerce must establish a manufacturing assistance program

the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, beginning in FY2017,

In evaluating applications, USDA must consider whether:

the project was developed through the collaboration and participation of

(There are 2 other summaries)

consumers to make informed choices regarding their use; and

this exception should be made permanent, and

the U.S. Secret Service;

Requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to provide additional

the covered entity, following a breach of security, concludes that there is no

Requires a covered entity to notify a federal government entity designated by the

the U.S. Secret Service;

appropriate federal agencies for law enforcement, national security, or data

"operator" to include online and mobile applications (currently,

Requires verifiable parental consent, under specified circumstances, for the

an operator having actual knowledge that personal information being collected is

States' Rights Municipal Broadband Act of 2015

provision of broadband Internet access service by states, municipalities, or

Requires a data broker, with regard to disputed non-public information of a private

Prohibits a state or local jurisdiction from imposing multiple or discriminatory taxes

ICANN's bylaws required by ICANN's IANA Stewardship Transition Coordination

"operator" to include online and mobile applications (currently,

Requires verifiable parental consent, under specified circumstances, for the