HOLLYWOOD—A bill, aimed at curtailing some of the controversial behavior on the part of the paparazzi, was approved by the state senate on August 31, and will now go to the Governor for his final approval.
Bill 2479, penned by Assembly Speaker Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles), amends and strengthens the existing laws against the paparazzi. As it reads now, a person is liable for tort if the person engages in an unsafe act intended to stalk or harass the other party. If the plaintiff felt a credible threat for their safety and the actions continued despite their request for them to stop, the defendant (in this case a member of the paparazzi) would be liable for tort.
As it applies to the paparazzi, this bill amends the law and would make them liable for legal action if they place a victim under surveillance and cause them emotional strain. As it reads, “The bill would specify that a credible threat, as defined, may be made with a reckless disregard for the safety of the plaintiff or that of an immediate family member”¦” The bill would be a preventative measure to restrain and limit the actions of paparazzi and extend the definition of stalking; thus, making it easier to bring legal action against aggressive photographers.
In a statement, Assemblywoman Karen Bass discussed the bill following its legislative approval. “I authored this bill at the behest of artists who were not concerned with their own well-being, but the safety of people in the community—the individuals who are most likely to be injured when a chase ensues and a crash occurs,” said Assemblywoman Bass.
The aggressive behavior of photographers has been a heated issue for quite some time. George Clooney reportedly sold his villa on Lake Como this year to escape the invasive and aggressive actions of photographers. Other celebrities such as Kanye West, Britney Spears and Hugh Grant have been pushed to violence against the paparazzi when confronted. The issue first made headlines with the death of Princess Diana in 1997, after the car she was in was trying to escape photographers and crashed inside a road tunnel in Paris.
Many celebrities have been vocal in their opposition of paparazzi behavior over the years; however, the bill has also been strongly opposed by many parties including the California Newspaper Publishers Association citing what they see as the harmful implications of the legislation on the first amendment.
In an open letter written from the CNPA to assemblywoman Bass, General Counsel Thomas W. Newton writes, “CNPA remains concerned about the chilling impact on news investigations and other First Amendment activities presented both by current law and AB2479.”
Despite their protests, the bill has passed the state legislature and needs only gubernatorial approval for final enactment. Once Gov. Schwarzenegger approves the bill, members of the paparazzi and the media at large will have to implement changes in order to comply with the bill.
