Bill Text: MI HB6150 | 2025-2026 | 103rd Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Trade: business regulation; use of an individual's name, likeness, voice, or image for purposes of trade; prohibit under certain circumstances. Creates new act.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 7)

Status: (Introduced) 2026-07-01 - Bill Electronically Reproduced 06/30/2026 [HB6150 Detail]

Download: Michigan-2025-HB6150-Introduced.html

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HOUSE BILL NO. 6150

A bill to regulate the use of an individual's name, likeness, voice, portrait, or image by another person; and to provide remedies.

the people of the state of michigan enact:

Sec. 1. This act may be cited as the "identity, consent, ownership, and name rights act".

Sec. 3. As used in this act:

(a) "Estate" means that term as defined in section 1104 of the estates and protected individuals code, 1998 PA 386, MCL 700.1104.

(b) "Governing instrument" means that term as defined in section 1104 of the estates and protected individuals code, 1998 PA 386, MCL 700.1104.

(c) "Likeness" means a representation or image that is readily identifiable and attributable to a particular individual, including a representation or image that is digitally created.

(d) "Person" means an individual or a partnership, corporation, limited liability company, association, governmental entity, or other legal entity.

(e) "Voice" means a sound in a medium that is readily identifiable and attributable to a particular individual, regardless of whether the sound contains the actual voice or a simulation of the voice of the particular individual.

Sec. 5. (1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (2) or (3), a person shall not use an individual's name, likeness, voice, or image in this state for purposes of trade without the written consent of the individual.

(2) Subsection (1) does not prohibit a person that is practicing the profession of photography from exhibiting at an establishment specimens of the work of the person or establishment, unless exhibiting the specimen is continued after written notice is given by the individual being portrayed objecting to the exhibition of the specimen.

(3) Subsection (1) does not prohibit the use of an individual's name, likeness, voice, or image in this state for purposes of trade without the written consent of the individual if any of the following apply:

(a) The use is in connection with any news, public affairs, or sports broadcast or account.

(b) The use is for purposes of comment, criticism, scholarship, satire, or parody.

(c) The use is a representation of the individual as the individual's self in a documentary or in a historical or biographical manner, including some degree of fictionalization, unless the use is intended to create, and does create, the false impression that the work is an authentic recording in which the individual participated.

(d) The use is fleeting or incidental.

(e) The use is in an advertisement or commercial announcement for a use described in subdivisions (a) to (d).

Sec. 7. (1) An individual's name, likeness, voice, or image in any medium and in any manner is the exclusive personal property and intellectual property of that individual. Property under this section is licensable, transferable, and descendible.

(2) Subject to subsection (3), property that is transferred, assigned, or licensed under this section is valid for a period of not more than 10 years after the death of the individual who transferred, assigned, or issued the property.

(3) Subject to the terms of the governing instrument of an estate, as applicable, if the estate of a deceased individual is able to demonstrate active and authorized public use of the name, likeness, voice, or image of the deceased individual 8 years after the death of the individual, the right of the estate to use the name, likeness, voice, or image may be extended for 5 years after the tenth year of the individual's death, and may be renewed for 5-year periods for up until 70 years after the death of the individual. The estate must demonstrate authorized public use of the name, likeness, voice, or image of the individual within the 2 years before the expiration of each additional 5-year period. As used in this subsection, "public use" means commercial exploitation of an individual's name, likeness, voice, or image, including, but not limited to, the display or exhibition of the individual's name, likeness, voice, or image, pursuant to a contract, license, or royalty agreement, whether or not for monetary remuneration, in association with a commercial enterprise, nonprofit fundraising solicitation, or political cause or campaign; or the continuing commercial availability of a sound recording or audiovisual work in which the individual's name, likeness, voice, or image is readily identifiable.

Sec. 9. An individual whose name, likeness, voice, or image is used in violation of this act may bring a civil action against the person that violated this act to recover any of the following:

(a) Injunctive relief.

(b) Actual damages.

(c) If the person knowingly used the name, likeness, voice, or image in violation of this act, treble damages.

(d) Monetary damages equal to $10,000.00 for each violation.

(e) Any other relief the court considers appropriate.