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S 978 112th Congress Senate Crime and Law Enforcement Intellectual property Internet and video services Internet, web applications, social media Music Sound recording Television and film

A bill to amend the criminal penalty provision for criminal infringement of a copyright, and for other purposes.

Introduced: May 12, 2011 Introduced by: Klobuchar, Amy Democratic · Minnesota See on congress.gov
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This bill died when the 112th Congress ended
It never became law before the 112th Congress (2011–2012) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 6 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jun 22, 2011
Committee on the Judiciary. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 112-922.
Jun 20, 2011
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 77.
Jun 20, 2011
Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Leahy without amendment. Without written report.
Jun 16, 2011
Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
May 12, 2011
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
May 12, 2011
Introduced in Senate
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Amends the federal criminal code to provide for imprisonment for up to 5 years, a fine, or both, for criminal infringement of a copyright where the offense consists of 10 or more public performances by electronic means, during any 180-day period, of one or more copyrighted works and where: (1) the total retail value of the performances, or the total economic value of such performances to the infringer or to the copyright owner, would exceed $2,500; or (2) the total fair market value of licenses to offer performances of those works would exceed $5,000.

Includes, within copyright provisions protecting works from criminal infringement, the public performance of a work being prepared for commercial distribution.

What's happening now June 22, 2011

Committee on the Judiciary. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 112-922.

 Bill text 2 versions

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
 Cosponsors 2
All 2 Democratic 1 Republican 1
D
Coons, Christopher A.
Delaware · May 12, 2011
 R
Cornyn, John
Texas · May 12, 2011
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 978: A bill to amend the criminal penalty provision for criminal infringement of a copyright, and for other purposes.. 112th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/112-S-978/
MLA
"S. 978: A bill to amend the criminal penalty provision for criminal infringement of a copyright, and for other purposes.." 112th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/112-S-978/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 978, 112th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/112-S-978/.
Markdown link
[S. 978: A bill to amend the criminal penalty provision for criminal infringement of a copyright, and for other purposes.](https://openamerica.io/bill/112-S-978/)
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