West Virginia Code Chapter 47. Regulation of Trade § 47-2A-3. Publication of royalty rates; notice requirement; sanctions for failure to publish

(a) Any copyright owner or performing rights society seeking to charge a proprietor or proprietors a royalty or fee for the performance for the public of nondramatic musical or similar works, shall, at least annually provide notice of the royalty or fee rate and the means of its computation to said proprietor or proprietors.

(b) The notice referred to in subsection (a) of this section shall be satisfied if the copyright owner or performing rights society publishes the required information in a Class II-0 legal advertisement in a qualified newspaper published in this state with a bona fide circulation of forty thousand or more, or if the copyright owner or performing rights society files copies of its license agreements containing the information required under subsection (a) of this section with the secretary of state's office.

(c) Failure of a copyright owner or performing rights society to meet the publication requirements of this section shall constitute a complete defense to any civil action brought by a copyright owner or performing rights society seeking to recover royalties in circumstances where no contract exists between such parties regarding royalties.