H.R.1761 - Copyright Damages Improvement Act of 1999 106th Congress (1999-2000)

Summary: H.R.1761 — 106th Congress (1999-2000) All Information (Except Text)

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Reported to House with amendment(s) (07/01/1999)

Copyright Damages Improvement Act of 1999 - Amends Federal copyright law with respect to the statutory damages available for copyright infringement to increase: (1) the minimum damages from $500 to $750; and (2) the maximum damages from $20,000 to $30,000.

Increases from $100,000 to $300,000 the maximum additional damages a court may award for willful infringement.

Authorizes a court to increase the award of statutory damages up to $250,000 per work in a case where the copyright owner demonstrates that the infringement was part of a repeated pattern or practice of infringement.

Amends the No Electronic Theft (NET) Act to direct the Sentencing Commission to amend the guideline applicable to criminal infringement of a copyright or trademark to provide an enhancement based upon the retail price of the legitimate items infringed upon and the quantity of the infringing items. Modifies this standard with respect to criminal traffic in unauthorized sound recordings or music videos of live musical performances to base the enhancement upon the retail price of the infringing items as well as their quantity.