A bill that would amend federal copyright laws to exempt religious groups from having to make royalty payments for incidental use of music recordings was forward to the full U.S. House Judiciary Committee this week for consideration.
The Performance Rights Act would also grant music performers equal rights to compensation from broadcasters, and establish a flat annual fee in lieu of royalties for individual stations with gross revenues of less than $1.25 million and for noncommercial, public broadcast stations.
Authors of the bill contend none of its provisions would adversely affect public performance rights or the royalties due to songwriters or copyright owners of musical works.
