Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) introduced new legislation Tuesday called, The Copyright Restoration Act, that would strip Walt Disney World of special protections that lets the company keep copyright material for several decades at a time.
The new proposed legislation would limit all federal copyright material to 56 years. If the Act becomes law, it would be applied retroactively and Disney would lose protection to several marvel comic characters and the Disney Icon which their theme parks are based around, Mickey Mouse.
The Restoration Act would limit an owner’s copyright material to 28 years and allow for one 28-year extension.
Hawley said he it was time to strip Disney of their special privileges that they have benefited from for decades.
“The age of Republican handouts to Big Business is over,” Hawley. “Thanks to special copyright protections from Congress, woke corporations like Disney have earned billions while increasingly pandering to woke activists. It’s time to take away Disney’s special privileges and open up a new era of creativity and innovation.”
Hawley said he believes Disney would lose protection to some of the company’s oldest and most valued copyrights if the bill is passed.
The proposed bill comes after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis introduced the Parental Rights in Education Bill, being dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” law that prohibits the discussion of gender identity and sexual orientation from kindergarten through third grade after a public dispute on social media with Disney CEO Bob Chapek.
