SAG-AFTRA Supports the PRINCE Act in Minnesota

SAG-AFTRA has sent the following letter to Minnesota representatives in support of the state’s proposed Personal Rights in Names Can Endure Act, or PRINCE Act, which recognizes that “an individual has a property right in the use of that individual’s name, voice, signature, photograph, and likeness in any medium in any manner."

The Honorable Bobby Joe Champion
95 University Avenue W. 
Minnesota Senate Bldg., Room 3207 
St. Paul, MN 55155 

The Honorable Joe Hoppe
543 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55155

Dear Sen. Bobby Joe Champion and Rep. Joe Hoppe,

I am writing on behalf of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television & Radio Artists (“SAG-AFTRA”) in support of the amended version of the PRINCE Act passed by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday, May 16. 

SAG-AFTRA, with a broad coalition of players’ unions and others, has long supported enactment of Right of Publicity legislation around the country to protect against unauthorized commercial use of our members’ images through Right of Publicity laws, including postmortem protection. 

The Right of Publicity is an important issue that Minnesota needs to address. The amended version of the PRINCE Act would confirm that a claim for commercial appropriation as it exists under Minnesota common law is available for a period of 50 years after death. This approach is the best initial step and will allow interested parties to further discuss the issues raised by a post-mortem Right of Publicity in preparation for the 2017 legislative session. 

In Minnesota, SAG-AFTRA represents 580 actors, announcers, broadcast journalists, and other media professionals. The PRINCE Act, as approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee, is a step in the right direction in offering them the protections they – and all other Minnesotans – deserve.

Sincerely,

Jeffrey Bennett
Chief Deputy General Counsel, Legal & Government Affairs 
SAG-AFTRA

CC
House Speaker Kurt Daudt
House Majority Leader Joyce Peppin
Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk