CLEAR Act Customer Legal Ease and Relief Act
To protect main street retailers and end users in secondary patent actions, and for other purposes.
HB7140, also known as the CLEAR Act or Customer Legal Ease and Relief Act, was introduced on January 16, 2026. This bill aims to safeguard small businesses and consumers involved in secondary patent lawsuits. It seeks to provide legal relief and ease the burden on those who are not the primary parties in patent disputes. The bill was introduced by Zoe Lofgren, a Democrat, and Laurel Lee, a Republican, with Lee as the primary sponsor.
If passed, HB7140 would primarily affect small businesses and consumers who find themselves entangled in patent litigation where they are not the main parties. The bill intends to protect these entities from excessive legal costs and pressures that could arise from such disputes. By doing so, it aims to ensure that smaller entities can operate without being unduly burdened by patent litigation that primarily involves other parties.
As of January 16, 2026, HB7140 has been introduced in the House and referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. This means the bill is in its initial stages and will now be reviewed and potentially debated by the committee before any further legislative steps are taken. The committee's review will be crucial in determining the bill's next steps and whether it will move forward for a vote by the full House.
