Minnesota considering Right of Publicity legislation, aka “Prince Law”

That Minnesota should consider enacting publicity rights legislation is something I stated here shortly after Prince’s untimely passing: http://rightofpublicity.com/prince-knew-the-value-of-his-intellectual-property-42216  Minnesota has responded with draft right of publicity legislation, SF 3609, posted on May 11, 2016:  https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/text.php?number=SF3609&version=0&session=ls89&session_year=2016&session_number=0

Predictably, critics of the legislation are taking issue with the bill on First Amendment grounds: http://www.law360.com/ip/articles/794846?nl_pk=bb8aeb3e-4ab9-4ba4-a0af-b895a107fd8a&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ip

While the legislation likely would benefit from expanding the list of fair use exemptions, such as for books, overall the legislation is in good shape and appears well-balanced in its reach and application.

As we have seen from the Michael Jackson estate and questions concerning the valuation of his right of publicity, I expect Prince’s estate will go through a similar review by the IRS.  It should be noted that Minnesota’s potential adoption of the “Prince law” is not dispositive on whether or not Prince’s estate possess a right of publicity.  It should be assumed that it already does.  How it should be treated for taxation purposes is another question altogether.

Prince knew the value of his intellectual property

Prince knew the value of his intellectual property, and fought battles other artists didn’t or couldn’t.  And won, in the case of control over his publishing and catalog.  I hope that this awareness extends to Prince’s Right of Publicity.  Hopefully, he had advisers in his life who could raise his awareness on this point.  He could have been quite the advocate for publicity rights recognition.  Maybe it’s time for the Minnesota legislature to put a statute in place in his honor.

Godspeed, Prince.  #RIPPrince