On Friday, August 9, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed HB 4875 into law, modernizing Illinois's existing right of publicity law by establishing key safeguards to protect individuals from unauthorized digital replicas that mimic their image, likeness, or voice. Since HB 4875’s introduction by Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz and Senator Mary Edly-Allen, the Recording Academy has been a staunch advocate for the bill. In March, Recording Academy Chicago Chapter Board Members Jeff Becker and Dani Deahl testified in support of the legislation during hearings in the Illinois House and Senate. In April, Chicago Chapter members convened at the state capitol for an Advocacy Day in support of the HB 4875, speaking with lawmakers about its importance for the creator community; immediately following that day of action, the bill passed the Illinois House.
“We are thrilled to celebrate Gov. Pritzker’s signing of HB 4875 as Illinois becomes the second state in the nation to update its right of publicity law to protect creators in the age of artificial intelligence,” said Todd Dupler, Chief Advocacy & Public Policy Officer of the Recording Academy. “From helping craft the original legislation to leading a lobbying day with our Chicago Chapter members, the Recording Academy has championed HB 4875 from the very beginning, and this victory represents the core of our mission to advance legislation that ensures a robust music ecosystem for human creators. We are grateful to Rep. Gong-Gershowitz and Sen. Edly-Allen for their collaboration, and we will continue to advocate for the music community in this era of technological change.”
With the signing of HB 4875, Illinois has become the second state in the nation to sign into law legislation that protect individuals from having their voice, image, or likeness replicated by generative AI without permission – Tennessee became the first in March, when Gov. Bill Lee signed the ELVIS Act into law. The Illinois signing also comes just days after the NO FAKES Act was introduced in the US Senate by Sens. Coons, Blackburn, Klobuchar, and Tillis (R-NC). The NO FAKES Act would establish first-ever federal right of publicity in the United States, further safeguarding creators across the country by giving them control over their digital personas and targeting bad actors who want to take advantage of artists or profit on their likeness.
For more information on how the Recording Academy supporting creators in the age of AI, visit the Academy’s Artificial Intelligence Hub.
