Hawaii Senate passes Steven Tyler Act on privacy

HONOLULU (AP) – The Hawaii state Senate passed the so-called Steven Tyler Act Tuesday, a bill that seeks to protect celebrities from overeager paparazzi by creating a civil violation if people take unwanted photos or videos of others in their private moments.

The Aerosmith frontman from Massachusetts asked Senator Kalani English to sponsor the legislation after unwanted photos were taken of him and his girlfriend last December and published in a national magazine, causing family drama.

US singer Steven Tyler at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. EPA

Tyler owns a multimillion-dollar home in Maui, which is part of English’s district. English said the proposal could help increase celebrity tourism in Hawaii.

Twenty-three of the state’s 25 Senate members voted in favour of the bill, which now goes to the House for con-sideration.

Senator Sam Slom, the body’s only Republican, opposed the measure.

“We have been the butt of many editorials and jokes across the country for this proposed legislation,” he said.

Slom said senators had fun with the bill, but Hawaii has adequate laws protecting privacy and this proposal is an attack on rights guaranteed by the First Amendment of the US Constitution.