First off, let me apologize for not posting in a LONG time. It’s been hectic on this side of the monitor, and I’ve been blogging more on my other site, Free Government Information. Rest assured that LAZ is not defunct!

And now to the business at hand. Chairman Lamar Smith (TX-21) just introduced the ÒOrphan Works Act of 2006Ó (H.R. 5439), which creates new guidelines for use of copyrighted material when the original owner cannot be located. This is a fairly reasonable approach to orphan works, which have been estimated at upwards of 90% of all works still in copyright. For more see CopyBites and the US Copyright Office’s Report on orphan works.

Related posts:

1. PATRIOT ACT Suppresses Challenge to PATRIOT ACT
2. Copyright: The International View
3. Guide to the Patriot Act
4. More on “INDUCE” Act
5. Copyright conundrum