VACRA

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 10843 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 10843 To amend title 17, United States Code, to reform copyright laws relating to visual artists. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 19, 2026 Mr. Cline (for himself and Ms. Kamlager-Dove) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To amend title 17, United States Code, to reform copyright laws relating to visual artists. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Visual Artists Copyright Reform Act of 2026'' or ``VACRA''. SEC. 2. DEPOSITS IN CONNECTION WITH COPYRIGHT REGISTRATION. (a) Exemption of Certain Works From Best Edition Deposit Requirement.--Section 407 of title 17, United States Code, is amended-- (1) in subsection (a), in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking ``subsection (c)'' and inserting ``subsections (c) and (f)''; and (2) by adding at the end the following: ``(f) Exemption for Pictorial, Graphic, and Sculptural Works.--The deposit requirements under subsection (a) shall not apply to a pictorial, graphic, or sculptural work.''. (b) Copyright Registration in General.--Section 408(b) of title 17, United States Code, is amended-- (1) in paragraph (4), by striking the period at the end and inserting ``; and''; and (2) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following: ``(5) in the case of a pictorial, graphic, or sculptural work, one complete electronic copy.''. (c) Third-Party Registries of Photographs.-- (1) In general.--Chapter 7 of title 17, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: ``Sec. 711. Third-party registries of photographs ``(a) Regulations