New Mexico 2025 Regular Session

New Mexico House Bill HB221 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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28	28	HOUSE BILL 221
29	29	57
30	30	TH LEGISLATURE
31	31	-
32	32
33	33	STATE
34	34
35	35	OF
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37	37	NEW
38	38
39	39	MEXICO
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41	41	-
42	42	FIRST SESSION
43	43	,
44	44
45	45	2025
46	46	INTRODUCED BY
47	47	Tara L. Lujan and Joseph L. Sanchez
48	48	AN ACT
49	49	RELATING TO INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY; ENACTING THE VOICE AND
50	50	VISUAL LIKENESS RIGHTS ACT; PROVIDING FOR PRIVATE ENFORCEMENT;
51	51	PRESCRIBING CIVIL REMEDIES.
52	52	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
53	53	SECTION 1. [NEW MATERIAL] SHORT TITLE.--This act may be
54	54	cited as the "Voice and Visual Likeness Rights Act".
55	55	SECTION 2. [NEW MATERIAL] DEFINITIONS.--As used in the
56	56	Voice and Visual Likeness Rights Act:
57	57	A. "copyright holder" means the owner of an
58	58	exclusive right to an original work pursuant to the terms of a
59	59	copyright agreement;
60	60	B. "digital replica" means a computer-generated,
61	61	highly realistic electronic representation that is readily
62	62	identifiable as the voice or visual likeness of an individual
63	63	.229347.3 underscored material = new
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90	90	and is embodied in a sound recording, image or audiovisual
91	91	work:
92	92	(1) in which the individual did not perform or
93	93	appear; or
94	94	(2) is a version of a sound recording, image
95	95	or audiovisual work in which the individual performs or appears
96	96	and the fundamental character of the performance or appearance
97	97	is materially altered; and
98	98	(3) does not include the electronic
99	99	reproduction, use of a sample of one sound recording or
100	100	audiovisual work into another, remixing, mastering or digital
101	101	remastering of a sound recording or audiovisual work authorized
102	102	by a copyright holder;
103	103	C. "individual" means an actual person whose voice
104	104	or individual likeness is at issue with respect to digital
105	105	replication;
106	106	D. "online service":
107	107	(1) means a public-facing website, application
108	108	or virtual reality environment that provides a community forum
109	109	for user-generated content, including:
110	110	(a) videos, images, games, audio files
111	111	or other material;
112	112	(b) a digital music provider as defined
113	113	in 17 U.S.C. Section 115; or
114	114	(c) a social media service, social
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143	143	network or application store; and
144	144	(2) does not include a service by wire or
145	145	radio that provides the capability to transmit and receive data
146	146	from internet endpoints, including capabilities that are
147	147	incidental to enable the operation of the communications
148	148	service provider of online services or network access or the
149	149	operator of facilities for services;
150	150	E. "production" means the creation of a digital
151	151	replica;
152	152	F. "right holder" means a person that has acquired
153	153	the right to authorize the use of an individual's voice or
154	154	visual likeness in a digital replica;
155	155	G. "sexually explicit conduct" means actual or
156	156	simulated:
157	157	(1) sexual intercourse, including genital-
158	158	genital, oral-genital, anal-genital or oral-anal, whether
159	159	between persons of the same or opposite sex;
160	160	(2) bestiality;
161	161	(3) masturbation;
162	162	(4) sadistic or masochistic abuse; or
163	163	(5) lascivious exhibition of the anus,
164	164	genitals or pubic area of a person;
165	165	H. "sound recording artist" means a person who
166	166	performs in sound recordings for economic gain; and
167	167	I. "use" includes the commercial availability of a
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196	196	sound recording or audiovisual work in which the individual's
197	197	name or voice or visual likeness is readily identifiable.
198	198	SECTION 3. [NEW MATERIAL] DIGITAL REPLICATION RIGHT.--
199	199	A. The right to an individual's voice or visual
200	200	likeness is a property right exclusive to that individual. The
201	201	individual may license the use of the individual's voice or
202	202	visual likeness with instructions, limitations and conditions
203	203	provided by a licensing agreement. An individual may license
204	204	the use of the individual's voice or visual likeness as often
205	205	and to as many persons as the individual chooses. The property
206	206	right shall not expire on the death of the individual
207	207	regardless of whether the right was commercially exploited by a
208	208	right holder.
209	209	B. A right holder who is not the individual may
210	210	authorize the use of the voice or visual likeness of the
211	211	individual in a digital replica in accordance with the terms of
212	212	a licensing agreement. This right is a property right and is
213	213	licensable by the right holder. A license may survive the
214	214	individual's death. On the individual's death, the right may
215	215	be bequeathed by will or pass as personal property by operation
216	216	of law.
217	217	C. The rights provided in Subsection A of this
218	218	section are exclusive to the individual and may be transferred
219	219	during the individual's lifetime. A right holder may transfer
220	220	the rights provided in Subsection B of this section during the
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249	249	individual's lifetime or during the ten-year period after the
250	250	death of the individual, and the right may be terminated by:
251	251	(1) proof of the non-use of the name, likeness
252	252	or voice of an individual by a right holder for two years
253	253	subsequent to the initial ten-year period following the
254	254	individual's death; or
255	255	(2) the death of all executors, transferees,
256	256	heirs or devisees of the individual.
257	257	SECTION 4. [NEW MATERIAL] LICENSES INVOLVING ADULTS AND
258	258	MINORS.--
259	259	A. A license for an adult individual's or
260	260	emancipated minor's right while the individual is living is
261	261	valid only to the extent that the license duration does not
262	262	exceed ten years and is valid only if the license agreement:
263	263	(1) is in writing and signed by the individual
264	264	or the authorized representative of the individual; and
265	265	(2) includes a reasonably specific description
266	266	of the intended uses of the digital replica.
267	267	B. A license for a living minor's right is valid
268	268	only to the extent that the license duration does not exceed
269	269	five years but, in any case, terminates when the minor reaches
270	270	eighteen years of age. The license is valid only if the
271	271	license agreement:
272	272	(1) is in writing and signed by a parent or
273	273	guardian of the individual;
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302	302	(2) includes a reasonably specific description
303	303	of the intended uses of the digital replica; and
304	304	(3) is approved by a court in accordance with
305	305	the laws of the state.
306	306	C. The provisions of Subsections A and B of this
307	307	section shall not apply if the license is governed by a
308	308	collective bargaining agreement that addresses digital
309	309	replicas.
310	310	D. The provisions of Subsections A and B of this
311	311	section shall not affect terms and conditions of a license or
312	312	related contract other than those described in those
313	313	subsections, and the expiration of such license shall not
314	314	affect the remainder of the license or related contract.
315	315	SECTION 5. [NEW MATERIAL] REQUIREMENTS FOR POST-MORTEM
316	316	TRANSFER.--A post-mortem transfer is valid only if the transfer
317	317	agreement is in writing and signed by the right holder or an
318	318	authorized representative of the right holder.
319	319	SECTION 6. [NEW MATERIAL] AUTHORIZED USE AFTER EXPIRATION
320	320	OR TERMINATION OF LICENSE.--A digital replica embodied in a
321	321	sound recording, image or audiovisual work, the use of which is
322	322	authorized pursuant to the terms of a license, may be used in a
323	323	manner consistent with the terms of the license after the
324	324	expiration or termination of the license.
325	325	SECTION 7. [NEW MATERIAL] LIABILITY--CIVIL ACTION--
326	326	REMEDIES--LIMITATIONS OF ACTION--EXCLUSIONS.--
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355	355	A. A person that produces, publishes, reproduces,
356	356	displays, distributes or otherwise makes available digital
357	357	replicas without the written consent of the individual or the
358	358	right holder is liable for a civil action. Each display made,
359	359	copy made, transmission and instance of an unauthorized digital
360	360	replica made available on an online service is a violation of
361	361	the provisions of the Voice and Visual Likeness Rights Act.
362	362	B. To incur liability, a person that engaged in the
363	363	violation shall have actual knowledge of the alleged violation,
364	364	which may be obtained through a notification from the right
365	365	holder or individual, or shall willfully avoid having knowledge
366	366	that the material is an unauthorized digital replica.
367	367	C. Unless the digital replica is used to depict
368	368	sexually explicit conduct, a violation of the provisions of the
369	369	Voice and Visual Likeness Rights Act does not occur if the:
370	370	(1) digital replica is produced or used in a
371	371	bona fide news, public affairs or sports broadcast or account;
372	372	provided that the digital replica is the subject of or is
373	373	relevant to the subject of the broadcast or account;
374	374	(2) digital replica is a representation of the
375	375	individual as the individual in a documentary or in a
376	376	historical or biographical manner, unless the production or use
377	377	of the digital replica creates the false impression that the
378	378	work is an authentic sound recording, image, transmission or
379	379	audiovisual work in which the individual participated or the
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408	408	digital replica is embodied in a musical sound recording that
409	409	is synchronized to accompany a motion picture or other
410	410	audiovisual work;
411	411	(3) digital replica is produced or used
412	412	consistent with the public interest in a bona fide commentary,
413	413	criticism, scholarship, satire or parody;
414	414	(4) use of the digital replica is fleeting or
415	415	negligible; or
416	416	(5) digital replica is used in an
417	417	advertisement or commercial announcement for a purpose
418	418	enumerated in Paragraphs (1) through (4) of this subsection and
419	419	the digital replica is relevant to the subject of the work
420	420	being advertised or announced.
421	421	D. A person shall not be secondarily liable for a
422	422	violation of the provisions of the Voice and Visual Likeness
423	423	Rights Act for manufacturing, importing, offering to the
424	424	public, providing or otherwise distributing an unauthorized
425	425	digital replica in a product or service, unless the product or
426	426	service:
427	427	(1) is primarily designed to produce one or
428	428	more unauthorized digital replicas;
429	429	(2) has only limited commercially significant
430	430	purpose or use other than to produce an unauthorized digital
431	431	replica; or
432	432	(3) is marketed, advertised or otherwise
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461	461	promoted by that person or another acting in concert with that
462	462	person with that person's knowledge for use in producing an
463	463	unauthorized digital replica.
464	464	E. An online service shall not be liable for
465	465	violating the provisions of the Voice and Visual Likeness
466	466	Rights Act if, upon receiving a notification of alleged
467	467	violation, the online service removes or disables access to the
468	468	material alleged to be an unauthorized digital replica as soon
469	469	as is practicable.
470	470	F. An online service shall not be liable for
471	471	violating the provisions of the Voice and Visual Likeness
472	472	Rights Act for storing third-party provided material that
473	473	resides on a system or network controlled or operated by or for
474	474	the online service if, upon receiving a notification of
475	475	violation, the online service removes or disables access to all
476	476	instances of the material claimed to be an unauthorized digital
477	477	replica as soon as is practicable for the online service and
478	478	takes reasonable steps to promptly notify the third party that
479	479	provided the material that the online service has removed or
480	480	disabled access to the material.
481	481	G. A civil action for a violation of the provisions
482	482	of the Voice and Visual Likeness Rights Act may be brought by:
483	483	(1) a right holder;
484	484	(2) if the individual is a minor, a parent or
485	485	guardian of the individual;
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514	514	(3) a person that controls, even by virtue of
515	515	a license, the right to authorize the use of the voice or
516	516	visual likeness of the individual;
517	517	(4) a person that owns or controls the right
518	518	to authorize the use of the voice or visual likeness of a
519	519	deceased person; or
520	520	(5) in the case of digital replica involving a
521	521	sound recording artist, a person that has directly or
522	522	indirectly entered into:
523	523	(a) a contract for the exclusive use of
524	524	the sound recording artist as a sound recording artist; or
525	525	(b) an exclusive license to distribute
526	526	or transmit one or more works that capture the audio
527	527	performance of the sound recording artist.
528	528	H. A civil action for private enforcement of the
529	529	provisions of the Voice and Visual Likeness Rights Act may be
530	530	brought within three years after the date on which the party
531	531	bringing the civil action discovered or with due diligence
532	532	should have discovered the violation.
533	533	I. It shall not be a defense that the defendant
534	534	displayed or otherwise communicated to the public a disclaimer
535	535	stating that the applicable digital replica was unauthorized or
536	536	disclosing that the digital replica was generated through the
537	537	use of artificial intelligence or other technology.
538	538	J. In a civil action brought pursuant to the Voice
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567	567	and Visual Likeness Rights Act, a person that engages in
568	568	activity violating that act is liable to the injured party in
569	569	an amount equal to the greater of:
570	570	(1) in the case of a natural person, five
571	571	thousand dollars ($5,000) per work embodying the unauthorized
572	572	digital replica;
573	573	(2) in the case of an online service, five
574	574	thousand dollars ($5,000) per violation;
575	575	(3) in the case of a person that is not an
576	576	online service, twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) per work
577	577	embodying the unauthorized digital replica; or
578	578	(4) actual damages suffered by the injured
579	579	party as a result of the activity, plus profits from the
580	580	unauthorized use attributable to that use and that are not
581	581	taken into account in computing the actual damages.
582	582	K. The plaintiff may seek injunctive or other
583	583	equitable relief.
584	584	L. In the case of willful activity in which the
585	585	injured party has proven that the defendant acted with malice,
586	586	fraud, knowledge or willful avoidance of knowledge that the
587	587	conduct violated the law, the court may award to the injured
588	588	party punitive damages; and if the prevailing party is the
589	589	party:
590	590	(1) bringing the court action, the court may
591	591	award reasonable attorney fees; or
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620	620	(2) defending the court action, the court may
621	621	award reasonable attorney fees if the court determines that the
622	622	action was not brought in good faith.
623	623	M. An online service that has an objectively
624	624	reasonable belief that material claimed to be an unauthorized
625	625	digital replica does not qualify as a digital replica pursuant
626	626	to the Voice and Visual Likeness Rights Act shall not be liable
627	627	for statutory or actual damages exceeding one million dollars
628	628	($1,000,000), regardless of whether the material is determined
629	629	to be an unauthorized digital replica.
630	630	N. In the event that the third party that provided
631	631	the material that the online service has removed or to which
632	632	the online service has disabled access files a lawsuit against
633	633	the sender of a notice of violation claiming that the notice
634	634	was false or deceptive, the online service may restore the
635	635	removed material to its network for access by members of the
636	636	public without monetary liability to either the notice sender
637	637	or the third party that provided the material that the online
638	638	service had removed or disabled access.
639	639	SECTION 8. [NEW MATERIAL] RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.--The
640	640	Voice and Visual Likeness Rights Act is a law pertaining to
641	641	intellectual property for the purposes of the federal
642	642	Communications Act of 1934.
643	643	SECTION 9. SEVERABILITY.--If any part or application of
644	644	the Voice and Visual Likeness Rights Act is held invalid, the
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673	673	remainder or its application to other situations or persons
674	674	shall not be affected.
675	675	SECTION 10. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the
676	676	provisions of this act is July 1, 2025.
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