An act to amend the Small Business Act to expand intellectual property education and training for small businesses, and for other purposes
PL 115-259 (S.791), enacted 10/09/2018

132 STAT. 3664 
PUBLIC LAW 115–259—OCT. 9, 2018 
Public Law 115–259 
115th Congress 
An Act 
To amend the Small Business Act to expand intellectual property education and 
training for small businesses, and for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘Small Business Innovation Protec-
tion Act of 2017’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act— 
(1) the term ‘‘Administrator’’ means the Administrator of 
the SBA; 
(2) the term ‘‘Director’’ means the Under Secretary of Com-
merce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO; 
(3) the term ‘‘SBA’’ means the Small Business Administra-
tion; 
(4) the term ‘‘small business concern’’ has the meaning 
given the term in section 3(a) of the Small Business Act (15 
U.S.C. 632(a)); 
(5) the term ‘‘small business development center’’ means 
a center described in section 21 of the Small Business Act 
(15 U.S.C. 648); and 
(6) the term ‘‘USPTO’’ means the United States Patent 
and Trademark Office. 
SEC. 3. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds that— 
(1) the USPTO and the SBA are positioned to— 
(A) build upon several successful intellectual property 
and training programs aimed at small business concerns; 
and 
(B) increase the availability of and the participation 
in the programs described in subparagraph (A) across the 
United States; and 
(2) any education and training program administered by 
the USPTO and the SBA should be scalable so that the program 
is able to reach more small business concerns. 
SEC. 4. SBA AND USPTO PARTNERSHIPS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Beginning not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator, in consultation 
with the Director, shall develop partnership agreements that— 
(1) provide for the— 
Effective date. 
Deadline. 
Consultation. 
15 USC 648c. 
15 USC 648c 
note. 
15 USC 648c 
note. 
Small Business 
Innovation 
Protection Act 
of 2017. 
15 USC 631 note. 
Oct. 9, 2018 
[S. 791] 
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132 STAT. 3665 
PUBLIC LAW 115–259—OCT. 9, 2018 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 791: 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 115–435 (Comm. on Small Business and Entrepreneur-
ship). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 164 (2018): 
July 18, considered and passed Senate. 
Sept. 25, considered and passed House. 
(A) development of high-quality training, including in- 
person or modular training sessions, for small business 
concerns relating to domestic and international protection 
of intellectual property; 
(B) leveraging of training materials already developed 
for the education of inventors and small business concerns; 
and 
(C) participation of a nongovernmental organization; 
and 
(2) provide training— 
(A) through electronic resources, including Internet- 
based webinars; and 
(B) at physical locations, including— 
(i) a small business development center; and 
(ii) the headquarters or a regional office of the 
USPTO. 
SEC. 5. SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTERS. 
Section 21(c)(3) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 648(c)(3)) 
is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (S), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(2) in subparagraph (T), by striking the period at the end 
and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(U) in conjunction with the United States Patent and 
Trademark Office, providing training— 
‘‘(i) to small business concerns relating to— 
‘‘(I) domestic and international intellectual prop-
erty protections; and 
‘‘(II) how the protections described in subclause 
(I) should be considered in the business plans and 
growth strategies of the small business concerns; and 
‘‘(ii) that may be delivered— 
‘‘(I) in person; or 
‘‘(II) through a website.’’. 
Approved October 9, 2018. 
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