Bill > S139

This bill, titled the Equal Access to Tax Planning Act, proposes to amend federal patent law by stating that any method or strategy aimed at reducing, avoiding, or deferring tax liability, regardless of whether it was known or unknown at the time of an invention or patent application, will not be considered unique enough to differentiate a claimed invention from existing knowledge, known as "prior art," when determining if an invention is eligible for a patent. This provision applies to any tax liability under federal, state, local, or foreign law, including related statutes, rules, regulations, or ordinances, and will be effective for all patent applications pending and patents issued on or after the bill's enactment date.