SPONSOR: Lovasco
This bill establishes the "Public Domain Preservation Act", which provides that, if produced as part of a person's official duties, federal copyright or patent protection shall not be asserted for judicial opinions; administrative rulings; legislative enactments; public ordinances; or any other material produced by an officer, employee, director, board member, or agent of the state of Missouri, any state department, political subdivision, or special district of this state. Any existing work shall be made available at no cost under a perpetual, transferable, worldwide license, that stipulates no enforcement of such copyright or patent protection will be exercised, and the work shall be considered within the public domain.
This bill shall not apply to any research, discovery, or invention that was discovered, documented, or published by an employee of any public school or public institution of higher education.
Any material published by a state department, political subdivision, or special district of this state that is subject to this bill shall, wherever practicable, be accompanied by a notice stating: "Public Domain Content, No Rights Reserved". Any material published or distributed by a state department, political subdivision, or special district of this state shall, wherever practicable, contain the words "Paid for by" followed by the public entity and name of the director of the public entity that paid for the material.
This bill is the same as HCS HB 1283 (2023).
Statutes affected: