# Vessel Hull Design Protection Amendments of 2008

Note: This is the original legislation as it was initially enacted. Any subsequent amendments hosted on Wikisource may be listed using What Links Here.
An Act To amend chapter 13 of title 17, United States Code (relating to the vessel hull design protection), to clarify the definitions of a hull and a deck.
    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

#### Section 1. Vessel Hull Design Protection.

    (a) Short Title.—
       This Act may be cited as the ``Vessel Hull Design Protection Amendments of 2008´´.
    (b) Designs Protected.—
       Section 1301(a) of title 17, United States Code, is amended by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following:
             ``(2) VESSEL FEATURES.— The design of a vessel hull, deck, or combination of a hull and deck, including a plug or mold, is subject to protection under this chapter, notwithstanding section 1302(4).´´.
    (c) Exceptions.—
       Section 1301(a) of title 17, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
             ``(3) EXCEPTIONS.— Department of Defense rights in a registered design under this chapter, including the right to build to such registered design, shall be determined solely by operation of section 2320 of title 10 or by the instrument under which the design was developed for the United States Government.´´.
    (d) Definitions.—
       Section 1301(b) of title 17, United States Code, is amended—
          (1) in paragraph (2), by striking `vessel hull, including a plug or mold,´ and inserting `vessel hull or deck, including a plug or mold,´;
          (2) by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the following:
                ``(4) A `hull´ is the exterior frame or body of a vessel, exclusive of the deck, superstructure, masts, sails, yards, rigging, hardware, fixtures, and other attachments.´´; and
          (3) by adding at the end the following:
                ``(7) A `deck´ is the horizontal surface of a vessel that covers the hull, including exterior cabin and cockpit surfaces, and exclusive of masts, sails, yards, rigging, hardware, fixtures, and other attachments.´´.
Approved October 16, 2008

## Legislative History

* H.R. 6531, (S. 3106)
This work is in the public domain in the U.S. because it is an edict of a government, local or foreign. See § 313.6(C)(2) of the Compendium II: Copyright Office Practices. Such documents include "legislative enactments, judicial decisions, administrative rulings, public ordinances, or similar types of official legal materials" as well as "any translation prepared by a government employee acting within the course of his or her official duties."
These do not include works of the Organization of American States, United Nations, or any of the UN specialized agencies. See Compendium III § 313.6(C)(2) and 17 U.S.C. 104(b)(5).
A non-American governmental edict may still be copyrighted outside the U.S. Similar to {{PD-in-USGov}}, the above U.S. Copyright Office Practice does not prevent U.S. states or localities from holding copyright abroad, depending on foreign copyright laws and regulations.
Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse