# Copyright Clause Restoration Act of 2023

This bill would dramatically shorten how long copyrights last in the United States. Currently, copyrights protect creative works like books, movies, music, and software for the life of the creator plus 70 years after they die. This bill would change that to just 28 years from when a work is created, with the option to renew for another 28 years if the copyright holder applies during that time. So instead of protection lasting potentially over a century, most works would enter the public domain within a generation.

The bill targets large entertainment and media companies specifically. It would only apply retroactively—meaning it would affect works already created—if the copyright owner is a company worth more than $150 billion and works in industries like film, television, music, or publishing. This means the rule change would hit major corporations like Disney, Netflix, and other large media conglomerates, but wouldn't affect smaller creators or independent artists as harshly. For people currently operating under licenses to use copyrighted material from these big companies, the bill includes a transition period where they can keep using that material for either half the remaining license term or 10 years, whichever is shorter.

The practical effect would be significant: works that are currently locked away under copyright protection would become available for anyone to use, adapt, or republish much sooner. This could mean older movies, books, and music would be cheaper or free to access, and creators could build on existing works more easily. However, it would also reduce the financial incentive for companies to invest in creating new content, since they'd have less time to profit from their creations before the work becomes public property.

Copyright Clause Restoration Act of 2023

Rep. Steube, W. Gregory [R-FL-17]

Copyright Clause Restoration Act of 2023 This bill shortens the copyright protection term to 28 years starting from the date the work was originally secured, to be renewable for an additional 28-year term. (Under current law, for works created after 1977, the general rule is that the copyright term lasts for the life of the author plus 70 years.) The bill shall apply to all works fixed on or after the bill's enactment, except that it shall have retroactive effect for copyrights belonging to an entity that (1) is involved in the motion picture or arts and entertainment industries, and (2) has a market capitalization of more than $150 billion.