Another Delay For Senate Patent Troll Bill

Weeks of negotiation over a bipartisan patent bill meant to curb the negative impacts of “patent assertion firms,” or trolls, is nearing an end, Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) said in a statement. Leahy said the senators have “a broad bipartisan agreement in principle,” but consideration of the bill has been delayed yet again until after the two-week Easter recess. It’s the fourth such delay for the Senate Patent Transparency and Improvements Act. Legal fees have been the sticking point in negotiations, with Republicans looking to pin attorney costs on the losing party in patent-infringement suits, but Democrats are concerned that such a provision would deter those with legitimate cases from pursuing legal action. The House passed its own bill to limit patent assertion lawsuits in December.