Skip to main content
HR 2690 101th Congress House Commerce Art Authors and authorship Copyright Copyright royalties Federal preemption Fines (Penalties) Government paperwork Sculpture

Visual Artists Rights Act of 1990

Introduced: June 20, 1989 See on congress.gov
Sign in to write a letter Sign in to watch
 Everywhere this bill has been 21 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jun 11, 1990
Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 602.
Jun 8, 1990
Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
Jun 7, 1990
Received in the Senate.
Jun 5, 1990
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Jun 5, 1990
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
Jun 5, 1990
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
Jun 5, 1990
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate.
Jun 5, 1990
On ordering a second Agreed to without objection.
Jun 5, 1990
Considered under suspension of the rules.
Jun 5, 1990
Mr. Moorhead demanded a second on the motion to suspend the rules.
Jun 5, 1990
Mr. Kastenmeier moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Jun 1, 1990
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 311.
Jun 1, 1990
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 101-514.
Mar 28, 1990
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Mar 28, 1990
Ordered to be Reported (Amended).
Feb 28, 1990
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended).
Feb 28, 1990
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Oct 18, 1989
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Jun 26, 1989
Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Administration of Justice.
Jun 20, 1989
Referred to the House Committee on Judiciary.
Jun 20, 1989
Introduced in House
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Visual Artists Rights Act of 1990 - Amends the copyright law to define a "work of visual art." Grants the author of a work of visual art the right to claim authorship of such work when publicly displayed, independent of other exclusive rights, and to disclaim authorship of such work because of substantial distortion or alteration that harms his or her reputation. Grants such an author the right to prevent any destruction, distortion, mutilation, or other modification of that work which would harm his or her reputation or honor.

Extends such rights 50 years beyond the author's death (or co-author's, in the case of a joint work) with respect to visual art works created as of the effective date of this Act.

Waives artists' rights when a work cannot be removed from a building without distortion, mutilation, or alteration. Directs the Register of Copyrights to establish a recordation system for authors of visual art works that have been incorporated into a building.

Declares that this Act preempts equivalent rights under State law.

Includes within the scope of copyright infringement violations of the rights conferred by this Act. Declares that: (1) criminal infringement penalties do not apply to such violations; and (2) registration is not a prerequisite to copyright infringement actions for violations of this Act.

Directs the Register of Copyrights to report to the Congress the results of: (1) a study regarding the extent to which authorship rights have been waived; and (2) a feasibility study regarding new requirements enabling authors of works of visual art to participate in the commercial exploitation of their work after its first sale. Requires submission of such report within 18 months after enactment of this Act.

What's happening now June 11, 1990

Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 602.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Cosponsors 1
All 1 Democratic 1