After several industry leaders and civil liberties advocates took exception to a number of the provisions included in the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and PROTECT IP Act, Senator Ron Wyden and Representative Darrell Issa have released the draft to alternative legislation that has already garnered bipartisan support.

According to CNET, the lawmakers believe they have created a framework that will retain strong intellectual property protections while providing a more transparent process for rights holders hoping to file claims against digital copyright thieves. Released with the launch of www.keepthewebopen.com, the Online Protection and Enforcement of Digital Trade (OPEN) Act, the legislation attempts to narrow the scope of regulatory powers aligned in SOPA.

Essentially, the proposed alternative expands the jurisdiction of the U.S. International Trade Commission related to the sale of infringing goods from foreign websites to American consumers, according to the news source. Complaint processes would also be expedited for time-sensitive controversies, such as the pre-release of books and movies.

The Consumer Electronic Association has released a statement expressing its support for the "smart, targeted approach to fighting online piracy" delineated in the OPEN Act and suggests that any member of the content industry would share the same perspective. However, it may still take weeks or even months for lawmakers to make sense of potential implications and achieve consensus.