Prince, Secret Philanthropic Force That He Is, Once Paid Off Clyde Stubblefield's Medical Bills
It’s no secret that Prince was a very private man, and there has been plenty of concern with him passing without a known will (prompting court action to determine how any assets will be divided) that the once stronghold Prince had over his likeness could be completely lost and exploited on a commercial level. As of now, Bremer Trust is in control of his estate. To help provide further protections to the late Minnesota legend a bill is being rushed before lawmakers.
Minnesota lawmakers are rushing to enact a law that would restrict the use of Prince’s name and likeness in commercial ventures, affording more control to heirs of the late musician’s estate.
The bill is being called the PRINCE Act, an acronym for Personal Rights In Names Can Endure law. The bill will see its’ first committee hearing on Tuesday. Essentially it would allow whomever controls Prince’s estate to control the commercial use of his image. There is a "fair use" exemption if any in connection with news, public affairs or sports broadcasts.
If passed, the law would take effect in August but is “expressly made retroactive, including to those deceased individuals who died before the effective date." This law would apply to everyone and not just Prince or other celebrities. 17 other states already have similar laws in effect (i.e. Washington enacting a similar law after Jimi Hendrix’s death).
Hopefully this one goes into effect and we can put an end to (or at least calm down) all the tabloid madness that’s surrounded Prince’s passing. Furthermore, let’s just hope whomever ultimately is given control of Prince’s estate chooses to honor his legacy the right way and not exploit a lifetime of brilliance for financial gain.
H/T: The Current
