{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/59.1-463.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/59.1-463.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/59.1-463.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/59.1-463.html"}],"law_id":71610,"edition_id":1,"section_id":71610,"structure_id":14015,"section_number":"59.1-463","catch_line":"Prohibited conduct","history":"1995, c. 648.","full_text":"A\n\nNo performing rights society or any agent or employee thereof shall:1\n\nEnter onto the premises of a proprietor’s business for the purpose of discussing or inquiring about a contract for the payment of royalties with the proprietor or his employees, without first identifying himself to the proprietor or his employees and making known to them the purpose of the discussion or inquiry;2\n\nEngage in any coercive conduct, act or practice that is substantially disruptive of a proprietor’s business;3\n\nUse or attempt to use any unfair or deceptive act or practice in negotiating with a proprietor; or4\n\nFail to comply with or fulfill the obligations imposed by §§ 59.1-461 and 59.1-462.B\n\nHowever, nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prohibit a performing rights society from conducting investigations to determine the existence of music use by a proprietor or informing a proprietor of the proprietor’s obligation under the U.S. Copyright Law, Title 17 of the United States Code.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":258074,"text":"No performing rights society or any agent or employee thereof shall:","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"A1"},"1":{"id":258075,"text":"Enter onto the premises of a proprietor’s business for the purpose of discussing or inquiring about a contract for the payment of royalties with the proprietor or his employees, without first identifying himself to the proprietor or his employees and making known to them the purpose of the discussion or inquiry;","type":"section","prefixes":["A","1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"A1","prefix_anchor":"A1","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"A2"},"2":{"id":258076,"text":"Engage in any coercive conduct, act or practice that is substantially disruptive of a proprietor’s business;","type":"section","prefixes":["A","2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"A2","prefix_anchor":"A2","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A1","next_prefix":"A3"},"3":{"id":258077,"text":"Use or attempt to use any unfair or deceptive act or practice in negotiating with a proprietor; or","type":"section","prefixes":["A","3"],"prefix":"3","entire_prefix":"A3","prefix_anchor":"A3","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A2","next_prefix":"A4"},"4":{"id":258078,"text":"Fail to comply with or fulfill the obligations imposed by §§ 59.1-461 and 59.1-462.","type":"section","prefixes":["A","4"],"prefix":"4","entire_prefix":"A4","prefix_anchor":"A4","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A3","next_prefix":"B"},"5":{"id":258079,"text":"However, nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prohibit a performing rights society from conducting investigations to determine the existence of music use by a proprietor or informing a proprietor of the proprietor’s obligation under the U.S. Copyright Law, Title 17 of the United States Code.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A4"}},"ancestry":[{"id":14015,"edition_id":1,"name":"Virginia Music Licensing Fees Act","identifier":"38","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12809,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:46:36","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:46:36","permalink":{"id":261639,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14015,"identifier":"38","token":"59.1\/38","url":"\/59.1\/38\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12809,"edition_id":1,"name":"Trade and Commerce","identifier":"59.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:54","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:54","permalink":{"id":259521,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12809,"identifier":"59.1","token":"59.1","url":"\/59.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":68523,"structure_id":14015,"section_number":"59.1-460","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/59.1-460\/","token":"59.1\/38\/59.1-460","metadata":false},{"id":86300,"structure_id":14015,"section_number":"59.1-461","catch_line":"Notice and schedule to be provided","url":"\/59.1-461\/","token":"59.1\/38\/59.1-461","metadata":false},{"id":67035,"structure_id":14015,"section_number":"59.1-462","catch_line":"Royalty contract requirements","url":"\/59.1-462\/","token":"59.1\/38\/59.1-462","metadata":false},{"id":71610,"structure_id":14015,"section_number":"59.1-463","catch_line":"Prohibited conduct","url":"\/59.1-463\/","token":"59.1\/38\/59.1-463","metadata":false},{"id":77936,"structure_id":14015,"section_number":"59.1-464","catch_line":"Remedies; injunction","url":"\/59.1-464\/","token":"59.1\/38\/59.1-464","metadata":false},{"id":55104,"structure_id":14015,"section_number":"59.1-465","catch_line":"Remedies cumulative","url":"\/59.1-465\/","token":"59.1\/38\/59.1-465","metadata":false},{"id":58272,"structure_id":14015,"section_number":"59.1-466","catch_line":"Exceptions","url":"\/59.1-466\/","token":"59.1\/38\/59.1-466","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":67035,"structure_id":14015,"section_number":"59.1-462","catch_line":"Royalty contract requirements","url":"\/59.1-462\/","token":"59.1\/38\/59.1-462","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":77936,"structure_id":14015,"section_number":"59.1-464","catch_line":"Remedies; injunction","url":"\/59.1-464\/","token":"59.1\/38\/59.1-464","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/59.1-463\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1995. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 648<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":86300,"section_number":"59.1-461","catch_line":"Notice and schedule to be provided","order_by":null,"url":"\/59.1-461\/"}],"permalink":{"id":261653,"object_type":"law","relational_id":71610,"identifier":"59.1-463","token":"59.1\/38\/59.1-463","url":"\/59.1-463\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/59.1-463\/","token":"59.1\/38\/59.1-463","dublin_core":{"Title":"Prohibited conduct","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 59.1-463","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> No performing rights society<\/span> or any agent or employee thereof shall: <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> Enter onto the premises of a proprietor<\/span>’s business for the purpose of discussing or inquiring about a contract<\/span> for the payment of royalties<\/span> with the proprietor<\/span> or his employees, without first identifying himself to the proprietor<\/span> or his employees and making known to them the purpose of the discussion or inquiry; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> Engage in any coercive conduct, act or practice that is substantially disruptive of a proprietor<\/span>’s business; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

3.<\/span> Use or attempt to use any unfair or deceptive act or practice in negotiating with a proprietor<\/span>; or <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

4.<\/span> Fail to comply with or fulfill the obligations imposed by §§ 59.1-461<\/a> and 59.1-462<\/a>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> However, nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prohibit a performing rights society<\/span> from conducting investigations to determine the existence of music use by a proprietor<\/span> or informing a proprietor<\/span> of the proprietor<\/span>’s obligation under the U.S. Copyright Law<\/span>, Title 17 of the United States Code. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nPROHIBITED CONDUCT (\u00a7 59.1-463)\n\nA. No performing rights society or any agent or employee thereof shall:\n\n 1. Enter onto the premises of a proprietor’s business for the purpose of\n discussing or inquiring about a contract for the payment of royalties with the\n proprietor or his employees, without first identifying himself to the\n proprietor or his employees and making known to them the purpose of the\n discussion or inquiry;\n\n 2. Engage in any coercive conduct, act or practice that is substantially\n disruptive of a proprietor’s business;\n\n 3. Use or attempt to use any unfair or deceptive act or practice in\n negotiating with a proprietor; or\n\n 4. Fail to comply with or fulfill the obligations imposed by §§\n 59.1-461 and 59.1-462.\n\nB. However, nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prohibit a performing\nrights society from conducting investigations to determine the existence of\nmusic use by a proprietor or informing a proprietor of the proprietor’s\nobligation under the U.S. Copyright Law, Title 17 of the United States Code.\n\nHISTORY: 1995, c. 648.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}