By Annie Reuter
Minnesota state legislature is in the process of introducing a new bill inspired in part by the death of Prince. Named the PRINCE Act, or the Personal Rights in Names Can Endure Act, the bill would “recognize the right of publicity postmortem,” and essentially protect Prince’s name from being used by others.
Related: Prince’s Family Reveals No Memorial Service Has Taken Place
According to MPR News, the bill will be brought to a committee hearing today (May 10) and if accepted would grant “extended publicity control to the artist’s estate and limit commercial use of his name by likeness of others.”
If passed, the bill would apply to all celebrities in Minnesota. MPR News reports that the limitations would last for 50 years after the celebrity’s death as well as apply to those who died within 50 years prior to the bill’s signing.
“I’ve had people say, ‘Is it just prompted by the death of Prince?’ ‘Yeah, essentially it is,'” Rep. Joe Hoppe said. “Really, what it’s doing is it’s attempting to recognize the right of publicity postmortem.”
If passed, the PRINCE Act would make Minnesota the 18th state with a bill that gives the state a right to control one’s publicity after death. It will also allow the person who controls Prince’s estate to control the commercial use of his image.
