Bill > HB1504

This bill, known as the Mississippians' Right to Name, Likeness and Voice Act, establishes that every individual, living or deceased, possesses a property right in their own name, likeness (their image or appearance that is recognizable as them), and voice. These rights are considered intellectual property, can be transferred, and do not expire upon death, lasting for ten years after an individual's passing unless unused for commercial purposes for two consecutive years or if all heirs or transferees die. The act defines "commercial use" as using someone's name, voice, or likeness for advertising, marketing, selling products, or merchandise, and it also addresses "digital depictions" and "digital voice replicas" created using technologies like artificial intelligence. It outlines liability for individuals or entities who distribute unauthorized "personalized cloning services" (technology primarily for creating digital replicas of specific individuals) or unauthorized digital voice replicas or depictions, with penalties including significant monetary damages and actual losses. The bill also provides a defense for First Amendment rights in legal actions, requiring a balance between public interest in use and intellectual property rights, and specifies that commercial use without written consent can result in injunctions, actual damages, treble damages in certain cases, and attorney fees, with a four-year statute of limitations for claims. Importantly, this act does not limit existing rights under other laws and has specific exclusions for student-athletes and providers of telecommunications or information services for content provided by others, as well as for media outlets paid to publish advertisements.

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https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2026/pdf/history/HB/HB1504.xml