103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
HB5594

 

Introduced 2/9/2024, by Rep. Hoan Huynh

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Nurture Originals, Foster Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe Act, which may be referred to as the NO FAKES Act. Creates a civil action for a violation of specified provisions may be brought by (i) an individual, the image, voice, or visual likeness of whom is used in the digital replica that is the subject of the action; or (ii) any other person that owns or controls, including by virtue of an exclusive license, the rights to the image, voice, or visual likeness of this individual; or (iii) in the case involving a sound recording artist, any person that has entered into a contract for the exclusive personal services of the sound recording artist as a sound recording artist. Provides that "digital replica" means a newly created, computer-generated, electronic representation of the image, voice, or visual likeness of an individual that (i) is nearly indistinguishable from the actual image, voice, or visual likeness of that individual; and (ii) is fixed in a sound recording or audiovisual work in which that individual did not actually perform or appear. Requires that the civil action must be brought within 3 years after the date on which the aggrieved party discovered, or with due diligence should have discovered, the violation. Provides that the amounts that may be recovered include: (i) an amount equal to the greater of $5,000 per violation or any damages suffered by the injured party as a result of the violation; (ii) punitive damages in the case of a willful violation in which the injured party has proven that the defendant acted with malice, fraud, or oppression; and (iii) reasonable attorney's fees.


LRB103 38945 JRC 69082 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning civil law.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5Nurture Originals, Foster Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe
6Act. This Act may be referred to as the NO FAKES Act.
 
7    Section 5. Image, voice, and visual likeness rights.
8    (a) Definitions. In this Section:
9        (1) "Digital replica" means a newly created,
10    computer-generated, electronic representation of the
11    image, voice, or visual likeness of an individual that:
12            (A) is nearly indistinguishable from the actual
13        image, voice, or visual likeness of that individual;
14        and
15            (B) is fixed in a sound recording or audiovisual
16        work in which that individual did not actually perform
17        or appear.
18        (2) "Individual" means a human being, living or dead.
19        (3) "Sound recording artist" means an individual who
20    creates or performs in sound recordings for economic gain
21    or for the livelihood of the individual.
22        (4) "Visual likeness" means the actual visual image or
23    likeness of an individual, without regard to the means of

 

 

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1    creation, that is readily identifiable as the visual image
2    or likeness of the individual:
3            (A) because of a depiction of the face, image,
4        likeness, or other visually identifiable
5        characteristic of the individual; or
6            (B) from information displayed in connection with
7        the face, image, likeness, or other visually
8        identifiable characteristic of the individual.
9    (b) Digital Replication Right.
10        (1) Subject to the other provisions of this Section,
11    each individual and, in the case of an individual who is
12    dead, any executor, heir, assign, or devisee of the
13    individual has the right to authorize the use of the
14    image, voice, or visual likeness of the individual in a
15    digital replica.
16        (2) The right described in paragraph (1) shall have
17    the following characteristics:
18            (A) is a property right; and
19            (B) descendible and licensable in whole or in
20        part, by the individual to whom the right applies.
21        (3) The right shall not expire upon the death of the
22    individual to whom the right applies, without regard to
23    whether the right is commercially exploited by that
24    individual during the lifetime of the individual.
25        (4) The right shall be exclusive to:
26            (A) the applicable individual, subject to the

 

 

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1        licensing of those rights, as provided in this
2        paragraph, during the lifetime of that individual; and
3            (B) the executors, heirs, assigns, or devisees of
4        the applicable individual for a period of 70 years
5        after the death of the individual.
6        (5) A license described in subparagraph (A) of
7    subsection (4) shall be valid only if:
8            (A) the applicable individual was represented by
9        counsel in the transaction and the assignment
10        agreement was in writing; or
11            (B) the licensing of the right covered by the
12        assignment is governed by a collective bargaining
13        agreement.
14    (c) Liability.
15        (1) Any person that, in a manner affecting interstate
16    or foreign commerce (or using any means or facility of
17    interstate or foreign commerce), engages in an activity
18    described in paragraph (2) shall be liable in a civil
19    action brought under subsection (d) for any damages
20    sustained by the individual or rights holder injured as a
21    result of that activity.
22        (2) An activity described in this paragraph is either
23    of the following:
24            (A) The production of a digital replica without
25        consent of the applicable individual or rights holder.
26            (B) The publication, distribution, or transmission

 

 

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1        of, or otherwise making available to the public, an
2        unauthorized digital replica, if the person engaging
3        in that activity has knowledge that the digital
4        replica was not authorized by the applicable
5        individual or rights holder.
6        (3) It shall not be a violation of paragraph (1) if,
7    regardless of the degree of dramatization:
8            (A) the applicable digital replica is used as part
9        of a news, public affairs, or sports broadcast or
10        report;
11            (B) the applicable digital replica:
12                (i) is used part of a documentary, docudrama,
13            or historical or biographical work; and
14                (ii) uses a representation of the applicable
15            individual as that individual;
16            (C) the applicable digital replica is used for
17        purposes of comment, criticism, scholarship, satire,
18        or parody;
19            (D) the applicable digital replica is used in an
20        advertisement or commercial announcement for a purpose
21        described in subparagraph (A), (B), or (C); or
22            (E) the use of the applicable digital replica is
23        de minimis or incidental.
24    (d) Civil action.
25        (1) A civil action for a violation of subsection (c)
26    may be brought by:

 

 

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1            (A) an individual, the image, voice, or visual
2        likeness of whom is used in the digital replica that is
3        the subject of the action;
4            (B) any other person that owns or controls,
5        including by virtue of an exclusive license, the
6        rights to the image, voice, or visual likeness of the
7        individual described in subparagraph (A); or
8            (C) in the case of a digital replica involving a
9        sound recording artist, any person that has entered
10        into a contract for the exclusive personal services of
11        the sound recording artist as a sound recording
12        artist.
13        (2) A civil action may not be brought under this
14    subsection unless the action is commenced not later than 3
15    years after the date on which the party seeking to bring
16    the civil action discovered, or with due diligence should
17    have discovered, the applicable violation.
18        (3) It shall not be a defense in a civil action brought
19    under this subsection that the defendant:
20            (A) displayed or otherwise communicated to the
21        public a disclaimer stating that the applicable
22        digital replica was unauthorized; or
23            (B) did not participate in the creation,
24        development, distribution, or dissemination of the
25        applicable digital replica.
26        (4) In any civil action brought under this subsection:

 

 

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1            (A) the person committing a violation of
2        subsection (c) shall be liable to the injured party in
3        an amount equal to the greater of:
4                (i) $5,000 per violation; or
5                (ii) any damages suffered by the injured party
6            as a result of the violation;
7            (B) in the case of a willful violation where the
8        injured party has proven that the defendant acted with
9        malice, fraud, or oppression, the court may award to
10        the injured party punitive damages; and
11            (C) the court may award to the prevailing party
12        reasonable attorney's fees.
13    (e) Preemption. Nothing in this Section may be construed
14to limit any right an individual may have under any other law
15that provides protection against the unauthorized use of the
16image, voice, or visual likeness of the individual.
17    (f) Rule of construction. This Section shall be considered
18to be a law pertaining to intellectual property for the
19purposes of section 230(e)(2) of the Communications Act of
201934 (47 U.S.C. 230(e)(2)).
 
21    Section 90. Application. This Section shall apply only to
22conduct occurring after the effective date of this Act.
 
23    Section 97. Severability. If any provision of this
24Section, or the application of a provision of this Section, is

 

 

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1held to be invalid, the validity of the remainder of this
2Section, and the application of that provision to other
3persons and circumstances, shall not be affected by that
4holding.