Securities; Oklahoma Ensuring Likeness, Voice, and Image Security Act of 2025; property right; civil action; effective date.
If enacted, HB2216 would enhance the protections for individuals regarding the use of their likeness by granting them ownership rights that can last beyond their lifetime. The bill provides a framework for descendants to commercialize these rights, which could impact the entertainment industry, especially for celebrities and public figures. This change aims to prevent unauthorized use of an individual's likeness, voice, or image, thus solidifying protections that individuals can take in civil court against infringements of these rights.
House Bill 2216, known as the Oklahoma Ensuring Likeness, Voice, and Image Security Act of 2025, establishes an individual's property right in the use of their name, likeness, voice, or photograph in any form of media. This act allows individuals to maintain exclusive control over these rights, which are assignable and does not terminate upon the individuals' death. The law outlines the transferability of these rights to heirs or executors, ensuring that the deceased individual’s likeness can still be commercially exploited by their estate for a limited period after their death.
While the bill promises to secure individual rights, there are potential areas of contention, particularly regarding the definition of 'fair use'. Critics may raise concerns that the act could impose restrictions on artistic expression and free speech by making it more challenging for creators to use someone's likeness without explicit permission. Proponents argue that these measures are necessary to protect individuals from exploitation in unauthorized commercial scenarios, yet the balance between protection and public discourse may spur ongoing debate.