Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/03/17/2017-05239/copyright-royalty-board-regulations-regarding-filing-of-claims-to-royalty-fees-collected-under
Timestamp: 2018-04-19 14:46:11
Document Index: 534665390

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 350', 'art 360', 'art 360', 'arts 350', 'art 350', '§\u2009350', 'art 360', '§\u2009360']

Federal Register :: Copyright Royalty Board Regulations Regarding Filing of Claims to Royalty Fees Collected Under Compulsory License
A Proposed Rule by the Copyright Royalty Board on 03/17/2017
82 FR 14167
14167-14170 (4 pages)
I. Part 350—General Administrative Provisions
II. Part 360—Filing of Claims to Royalty Fees Collected Under Compulsory Licenses
Subpart B—Digital Audio Recording Devices and Media Royalty Claims
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2017-05239 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2017-05239
Start Preamble Start Printed Page 14167
Submit electronic comments via email to crb@loc.gov. Those who choose not to submit comments electronically should see “How to Submit Comments” in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below for physical addresses and further instructions. The proposed rule is also posted on the agency's Web site (www.loc.gov/​crb).
Program Specialist by telephone at (202) 707-7658 or email at crb@loc.gov.
On September 23, 2016, the Library of Congress awarded a contract for the design and implementation of an electronic filing and case management system for the Copyright Royalty Board (“Board”). The Copyright Royalty Judges (“Judges”) anticipate that the new system will be available for use by claims filers, participants in proceedings before the Judges, and other members of the public having business with the Board (e.g., persons wishing to comment on proposed regulations) by summer 2017. The Judges intend to make use of the system mandatory for attorneys representing participants in proceedings after a transition period.[1]
As part of the Judges' continuing oversight of the Board's procedural regulations, the Judges propose to amend the claims filing regulations to accommodate electronic filing of claims. In addition, the Judges propose to consolidate nearly identical regulations for cable and satellite claims and make other amendments to the claims regulation to remove outdated references and enhance readability.
The Judges propose adding a new rule 350.5(c)(3) which would provide that any claimant desiring to file with the Copyright Royalty Board a claim for distribution of copyright royalties may obtain an eCRB password. While filing of claims through eCRB will not be mandatory, any claimant wishing to file claims through eCRB will be required to obtain an eCRB password. Obtaining a password for claims filing will entail filling in a webform and responding to a confirmation email to activate the account. The eCRB system will also have an automated password recovery feature so that users who have forgotten their password can reset their password without human intervention.
The Judges proposed this regulation in the notice soliciting comments on the proposed eFiling regulations [2] but decided to re-propose it in response to a comment received on the earlier proposal.
The Judges propose revisions to Part 360 to accommodate filing of claims through the new electronic filing system. Proposed new rules 360.1 through 360.5 (proposed Subpart A) would replace current rules 360.1 through 360.15 (current Subparts A and B), which separately set out the filing requirements for cable and satellite claims. The current rules contain redundant information, which the Judges propose to remove. In addition, the proposal makes reference, where applicable, to the new electronic filing system (eCRB). The proposal also adds a new definition section (rule 360.2), which would define the terms cable compulsory license royalty fees and satellite compulsory license royalty fees.
Regulations for Digital Audio Recording Devices and Media Royalty Claims (DART), currently in rules 360.20 through 360.25 (Subpart C), would be redesignated as 360.20 through 360.24 (Subpart B). For the most part, the substance of the current DART rules would be retained, although the proposal makes applicable references to eCRB. In addition, proposed new rule 360.24 sets out the notice requirements of independent administrators appointed to manage and distribute royalty payments to nonfeatured musicians and vocalists and updates the timing of those administrators' notices. These provisions currently appear in rule 360.23.
Finally, the proposal would add a new Subpart C: Rules of General Application, which would address amendment of claims (proposed new rule 360.30), withdrawal of claims (proposed new rule 360.31), and reinstatement of previously withdrawn claims (proposed new rule 360.23). The Judges believe that these proposals will provide important guidance on the process for amending, withdrawing, and reinstating claims.
The Judges solicit comments on the rule proposal as a whole and on each of the proposed rules. In particular, the Judges seek comment on whether the proposed new rules that consolidate the cable and satellite claims filing rules enhances the clarity of those rules and appropriately reduces unnecessary redundancies. The Judges also seek comment on whether there are other opportunities within these proposed rules to further enhance clarity or whether separate rules for cable and satellite filings would be more appropriate. The Judges also seek comments on whether the proposed rules appropriately integrate references to eCRB. Finally, the Judges seek comment on the proposed new rules addressing the claim amendment, withdrawal, and reinstatement process. Are the proposed procedures reasonable and appropriate or would other procedures work better? If so, please specify those procedures and why they might be more appropriate than the ones the Judges propose. Are there procedures or other considerations not in the proposed claim amendment, withdrawal, and reinstatement process that the Judges should consider?
Commercial courier: Address package to: Copyright Royalty Board, Library of Congress, James Madison Memorial Start Printed Page 14168Building, LM-403, 101 Independence Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20559-6000. Deliver to: Congressional Courier Acceptance Site, 2nd Street NE. and D Street NE., Washington, DC; or
Copyright Royalty Judges Rules and Procedures
For the reasons set forth in the preamble, and under the authority of chapter 8, title 17, United States Code, the Copyright Royalty Judges propose to amend parts 350 and 360 of Title 37 of the Code of Federal Regulations as follows:
1. The authority citation for part 350 continues to read:
2. In § 350.5 revise paragraph (c)(3) to read as follows:
(3) Claimants. Any person desiring to file a claim with the Copyright Royalty Board for copyright royalties may obtain an eCRB password for the limited purpose of filing claims by completing the application form available on the CRB Web site.
3. Revise part 360 to read as follows:
Reinstatement of Previously Withdrawn Claims.
(b) Claims filed with the Copyright Royalty Board will be considered timely filed only if they are filed online through eCRB or by mail or hand delivery in accordance with section 301.2 during the month of July, as determined in accordance with section 350.7.
(a) Forms. (1) Each filer must use the form prescribed by the Copyright Royalty Board to claim cable compulsory license royalty fees or satellite compulsory license royalty fees, and must provide all information required by that form and its accompanying instructions.
(i) On the Copyright Royalty Board Web site at http://www.crb.gov/​claims/​ during the month of July for claims filed with the Copyright Royalty Board by mail or by hand delivery;
(ii) On the Copyright Royalty Board Web site at http://www.loc.gov/​cable/​ (for cable claims) or http://www.crb.gov/​satellite/​ (for satellite claims) during the month of July for claims filed online through eCRB; and
(iii) Upon request to the Copyright Royalty Board by mail at the address set forth in section 301.2(a), by email at the address set forth in section 301.2(d), or by telephone at (202) 707-7658.
(i) The full legal name, address, and email address of the copyright owner entitled to claim the royalty fees.Start Printed Page 14169
(ii) A general statement of the nature of the copyright owner's work(s), and identification of at least one secondary transmission by a cable system or satellite carrier, as the case may be, of one of the copyright owner's works establishing a basis for the claim.
(i) With the exception of joint claims filed by a performing rights organization on behalf of its members, a list including the full legal name, address, and email address of each copyright owner whose claim(s) are included in the joint claim. Claims filed online through eCRB must include an Excel spreadsheet containing the information if the number of joint claimants is in excess of ten. A performing rights organization is not required to list the name of each of its members or affiliates in the joint claim.
(ii) A concise statement of the authorization by each named claimant for the person or entity to file the joint claim. For this purpose, a performing rights organization shall not be required to obtain from its members or affiliates separate authorizations, apart from their standard membership affiliation agreements.
(iii) A general statement of the nature of the copyright owners' works, identification of at least one secondary transmission of one work by each identified copyright owner that has been secondarily transmitted by a cable system or satellite carrier establishing a basis for the joint claim.
(iv) The name, telephone number, full mailing address, and email address of the person or entity filing the joint claim. The information contained in a filer's eCRB profile shall fulfill this requirement for claims submitted through eCRB.
(v) The name, telephone number, and email address of a person whom the Copyright Royalty Board can contact regarding the claim.
(vi) Original signatures of the copyright owners identified on the joint claim or of a duly authorized representative or representatives of the copyright owners, except for claims filed online through eCRB.
(vii) Notwithstanding paragraph (b)(2)(ii) of this section, a declaration of authority to file the claim and a certification of the veracity of the information contained in the claim and the good faith of the person signing in providing the information. Penalties for fraud and false statements are provided under 18 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.
(c) In the event the legal name and/or address of the copyright owner entitled to royalties or the person or entity filing the claim changes after the filing of the claim, the filer or the copyright owner shall notify the Copyright Royalty Board of the change. Any other proposed changes or amendments must be submitted in accordance with 37 CFR 360.30. If the good faith efforts of the Copyright Royalty Board to contact the copyright owner or filer are frustrated because of outdated or otherwise inaccurate contact information, the claim may be subject to dismissal. A person or entity that filed a claim online through eCRB must notify the Copyright Royalty Board of any change of name or address by updating the eCRB profile for that person or entity through eCRB as required by 37 CFR 350.5(g).
(i) On the Copyright Royalty Board's Web site at http://www.crb.gov/​claims Start Printed Page 14170for claims filed with the Copyright Royalty Board by mail or by hand delivery;
(ii) On the Copyright Royalty Board's Web site at http://www.crb.gov/​dart/​ during the months of January and February for claims filed online through eCRB; and
(iii) Upon request to the Copyright Royalty Board, by mail at the address set forth in section 301.2(a), by email at the address set forth in section 301.2(d), or by telephone at (202) 707-7658.
(c) Claims must bear the original signature of the claimant or of a duly authorized representative of the claimant, except for claims filed online through eCRB.
(d) In the event that the legal name and/or address of the claimant changes after the filing of the claim, the claimant must notify the Copyright Royalty Board of the change. Any other proposed changes or amendments must be submitted in accordance with 37 CFR 360.30. If the good faith efforts of the Copyright Royalty Board to contact the claimant are frustrated because of failure to notify the Copyright Royalty Board of a name and/or address change, the claim may be subject to dismissal. A person or entity that filed a claim online through eCRB must notify the Copyright Royalty Board of any change of name or address by updating that person or entity's eCRB profile as required by section 350.5(g).
(e) If the claim is a joint claim, it must include a concise statement of the authorization for the filing of the joint claim in addition to the declaration required under paragraph (b)(7) of this section and the name of each claimant to the joint claim.
(f) If an interested copyright party intends to file claims against more than one Subfund, each Subfund claim must be filed separately with the Copyright Royalty Board. The Copyright Royalty Board will reject any claim that purports to claim funds from more than one Subfund.
(a) The independent administrator jointly appointed by the interested copyright parties, as defined in 17 U.S.C. 1001(7)(A), and the American Federation of Musicians (or any successor entity) for the purpose of managing and ultimately distributing royalty payments to nonfeatured musicians as defined in 17 U.S.C. 1006(b)(1), must file a notice informing the Copyright Royalty Board of his/her name and address.
(b) The independent administrator jointly appointed by the interested copyright parties, as defined in 17 U.S.C. 1001(7)(A) and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (or any successor entity) for the purpose of managing and ultimately distributing royalty payments to nonfeatured vocalists as defined in 17 U.S.C. 1006(b)(1), must file a notice informing the Copyright Royalty Board of his/her full name and address.
Any claimant may amend a filed claim as of right by filing a Notice of Amendment during the statutory period for filing annual claims. After the expiration of the time for filing claims, a claimant may amend a claim only by order of the Copyright Royalty Judges, on motion showing good cause and lack of prejudice to other claimants to the applicable year's royalty funds. No filer may amend a filed claim to add additional claimants after the expiration of the time for filing claims.
§ 360.32
1. The Judges proposed regulations relating specifically to implementation of eCRB at 81 FR 84526 (Nov. 23, 2016).
2. See 81 FR 84526.
[FR Doc. 2017-05239 Filed 3-16-17; 8:45 am]