[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6362685,"mediaKeyId","2167362-2adcb3e57eba6d33afb3926d018e5db3","parentId",2167362,"title","Stakeholders press Senate committee to broaden Reeves’s bill on unauthorized AI use of voice, likeness; panel PBI’s measure for further study","audioSeconds",481,"startMs",1761000,"endMs",2242000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2167362-2adcb3e57eba6d33afb3926d018e5db3&start=1761&end=2242","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2167362-2adcb3e57eba6d33afb3926d018e5db3/thumbnail_1761000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6362685/Virginia/Stakeholders-press-Senate-committee-to-broaden-Reevess-bill-on-unauthorized-AI-use-of-voice-likeness-panel-PBIs-measure-for-further-study","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6362685-d6a4e872d085f12778e1bf289458a8b7/orig.mp4?Expires=1775625537&Signature=bEMITs4ST6phIXIQNAlR3DD6vaoFsOhM2j0GmA0z2JzeNXbYBNVBb3Ypp37jsKyiSKfcazXwHP1MpkU1cU6Cr9OmO8~cb0~8jGRDEYogrZHUx3IRLTrs5qAg9rk1-zIVg~rA2iLMlBjcoogPIV6ds1taHUwjyLe6q3mkhg0EXgi8I7RKXaPDwiXTlTwp-U~3bUwfmP22C9l67O4OcPvf2-vDVZ0okyL57s9VXmbqUGCVydgWNzvir5p8WLsKOYSnr9rJq88-erXgtMk--YlqQ8Zf1X88KuYizmKNxfHauf19mUsQdCkgDuY8SwwODKvF-XWqwS3n-Bm3o2fASpKagA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Virginia Legislature","date","2025-01-29T00:00:00Z","article","Senate substitute legislation offered by Senator Reeves to add “voice or likeness” to an existing civil cause of action prompted a daylong debate Oct. 12 that included entertainment unions, tech industry representatives and civil‑liberties attorneys.

The substitute amends an existing code section to give a cause of action to people whose voice or likeness is used without consent; proponents said it protects artists, performers and public figures against unauthorized monetization and impersonation. Industry groups including the Motion Picture Association, the Recording Industry Association of America and the Recording Academy spoke in favor, describing the bill as a “modest, important update.”

Opponents and experts urged expansion to account for AI‑generated deepfakes and machine‑generated replicas. Kirk Schroeder, an entertainment attorney and ABA co‑editor, told the committee the draft “does not go far enough” and warned Virginia could fall behind other states unless the law explicitly addresses artificial intelligence and deep‑fake voice synthesis. Schroeder suggested language drawn from Tennessee, California and New York and said courts and juries will soon confront lifelike synthetic voice and likeness cases.

Representative testimony: Rob Bohannon of the Motion Picture Association said the draft is “a positive step forward” and reflected extended stakeholder negotiations. Reid Wick of the Recording Academy said the bill “is a modest but very important update” that protects artists’ voices as a unique characteristic. Kirk Schroeder said the statute should be updated to include AI and machine‑generated likenesses to avoid leaving victims without a civil remedy.

Committee action: After extended discussion and offers of substitute language, the committee voted on a motion to pass the bill by indefinitely (PBI) and to forward the measure with a letter to Senator Adam Evans’s related study and the Boyd Graves commission for additional review. The motion carried 8–7; the effect is that the sponsor and stakeholders will return with revised language based on broader input.

Why it matters: The reach of AI tools and the speed of technological change have raised concerns among creators and performers that traditional civil‑law protections may not be sufficient for machine‑generated voice and likeness replication. The committee’s decision to send the bill for further study stopped a narrow statutory change from moving forward without additional AI‑specific protections.

Quote

- “If you pass the statute, all you’ve done is add likeness and voice,” attorney Kirk Schroeder said. “It would put Virginia maybe 10 years behind what’s happening around the country right now.”

Next steps: The sponsor and stakeholders will meet with legislative counsel and Boyd Graves staff to produce draft AI‑specific language and return to the committee. The committee also signaled it wants to coordinate Reeves’s measure with Senator Evans’s related bill and with any pending federal action.

Ending: The committee’s close, party‑lined vote to PBI the measure underlines the tension between producing immediate statutory protection for artists and the need for comprehensive AI‑specific drafting that withstands constitutional and preemption challenges.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","January 29, 2025 - Courts of Justice - SR A (305) - 30 min. after adjournment","oneSentenceSummary","A Senate substitute to protect voice and likeness drew industry support but also calls for broader AI‑specific language; the committee voted 8–7 to PBI the measure for further study.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature VA, Virginia","taxId",77687,"location","Virginia","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6362690,"Senate committee backs bill to make voting the default for adults under guardianship unless court finds otherwise",1215,3885000,5100000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2167362-2adcb3e57eba6d33afb3926d018e5db3&start=3885&end=5100","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2167362-2adcb3e57eba6d33afb3926d018e5db3/thumbnail_3885000.jpg","/articles/6362690/Virginia/Senate-committee-backs-bill-to-make-voting-the-default-for-adults-under-guardianship-unless-court-finds-otherwise","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6362690-8eae964c446e740e53e4469c5be4fe74/orig.mp4?Expires=1775625537&Signature=CwA33wxVhMeDkW2vz76k8G0Eb4JrAXgtqy7TP-sqE7k98Ln7d2ICrzpG0S2ejN-wC2BUlxq8h3TGRgnrn64g0rCiraCanKC1d8ztLrrA-VeYYbWLqNrSptC2asFrUDwJmhJDEG9BVwqqIv-ekqPiy~q~Sn3bcKy6bVRvOcHY4LUo5Om7cPXXVBM6yailTa0DPdHRJnkZIjgqJxaV0GmI8UYVjmOdc8P4a99PrUpMdjZ4oPF1cDa7h1E5pGvRGPjFbOfkqBdOJYCfq1am3kcjiZmMr~J31gc-sC7yGW1Wj1CyPOliZpmI3SumR8W-68fn1W3DPZg4lbmgRcpHsnBFUA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senator Jennifer McClellan Favola’s bill to change how courts treat voting rights in guardianship cases won committee approval Oct. 12 after an extended hearing with advocates, legal specialists and family members.

The bill alters current practice by making the default that an adult subject to a guardianship or conservatorship retains the right to vote unless a judge, after a hearing, finds by clear and convincing evidence that the person lacks the capacity to exercise that right.

Why it matters: Court orders establishing guardianship have sometimes left voting status unclear or resulted in disenfranchisement without families realizing it. Supporters said the change would reduce the cost and delay families face when they must return to court to restore a ward’s voting rights.

What supporters said: Emily Hardy of the Virginia Poverty Law Center and other advocates told the committee they have represented families who were surprised to learn a loved one had been disenfranchised when the guardian petition proceeded without a specific judicial finding about voting. Dennis Finley, a Fairfax father, said his son lost the right to vote after a guardianship proceeding and the family had to return to court to restore it. The League of Women Voters and disability‑rights organizations also testified in favor.

What opponents and questions raised: Committee members asked who would have standing to petition a court to remove voting rights and how the statute would work in practice. Counsel and representatives of the Office of the Executive Secretary described differing views in practice about whether the right is currently removed automatically if orders omit a specific finding. Several senators asked for clarity around who files a petition to challenge voting capacity and how judges should document their findings.

Committee action and next steps: The committee adopted a substitute aligning the statutory standard with a constitutional amendment discussed earlier in the session and reported the bill to the Senate, tally recorded as Ayes 10, No 2, Abstentions 3. Sponsors said they would work with courts and guardianship stakeholders to prepare guidance on the new process.

Quote

- “This ends up being a very, very costly maneuver for the family members who didn’t realize their family members were losing the right to vote,” Emily Hardy said during testimony.

Clarifying detail: The substitute uses a clear‑and‑convincing evidence standard for removing voting rights and directs that information relevant to voting capacity be included in the guardian‑ad‑litem report and considered at the initial hearing.

Context: The bill follows training and advocacy work by disability law and civil‑liberties groups seeking to prevent inadvertent disenfranchisement. Committee members noted training for judges and updates to court forms may be necessary to ensure consistent implementation.

Ending: Sponsors asked the Senate to consider technical fixes on the floor and for the courts to prepare guidance so the change, if approved by the legislature, would be applied uniformly.","A Senate committee on Oct. 12 reported a bill that would make voting the default right for adults placed under guardianship unless a judge finds otherwise.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":44,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":50,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6362696,"Senate General Laws committee advances wide-ranging bills; AI deepfakes, guardianship voting and public-safety measures move forward",1761,-1,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2167362-2adcb3e57eba6d33afb3926d018e5db3&start=1761&end=0","/articles/6362696/Virginia/Senate-General-Laws-committee-advances-wide-ranging-bills-AI-deepfakes-guardianship-voting-and-public-safety-measures-move-forward","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6362696-d9ea2a20506fdb7791b3190bccd1657e/orig.mp4?Expires=1775625537&Signature=YppYBLSMWofkBqijgbtjJ5bywlbi~qdCUxWxyXXkBMJzqAQA96ODo0MYw90q8XBFk4~Fezs5jI~93jPdOekRzK9Ihxk7HKzuvp3JsTYm-4xPqURuJoY870mfRkgb84cXpZ-SuRXhTBn1tM9R11gKDQGqngvudHbGWdohDzloCl62UyT6Pkjdhv3p8T~742je5Dwr2t5chXJsBaPkuidUzxZbEjcX73QNYrPMThgp2TISuhhpLYYcyFxe4Baer90J-uiRzoGHsZmqEQosv4~cpoLqlXvkPw2UvHRuApAiELcN2RlX04A1LTf8MZ6WJfglXwv0nOZOVAIq3XBIivjd~Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Committee on General Laws and Technology met Oct. 12 in Richmond and moved a mix of bills forward, reported others and tabled one high-profile artificial-intelligence measure for further study.

The committee reported bills ranging from narrower criminal-justice and public-safety measures — including a bill to increase Fentanyl Task Force meeting frequency and a restriction on sales of nitrous-oxide devices to minors — to a high-profile measure by Senator Karen Reynolds Reeves (Reeves) that adds the protected category of “voice or likeness” to an existing civil cause of action and prompted heavy stakeholder debate.

Why it matters: Committee action advances legislation to the full Senate and signals where negotiators see consensus and where more work is needed. This committee’s docket included bills that affect public safety, privacy and equity, and also several measures intended to clarify how courts and agencies treat vulnerable residents.

What the committee did: The committee reported multiple bills to the Senate floor (see “Votes at a glance”), including unanimous or near‑unanimous recommendations for some measures and a close vote to table Reeves’s synthetic‑media bill for further work. Committee members also heard extended public testimony on a bill to preserve the voting rights of people under guardianship and held a lengthy discussion of a substitute addressing unauthorized uses of voice or likeness in AI-generated media.

Notable outcomes and next steps: Reeves’s synthetic‑media substitute did not pass out of committee today; a substitute motion to refer the measure for additional study — moved as a “PBI” with a letter to include Senator Adam Evans’s related work — carried by a narrow margin (8–7) and will be reviewed further. Several bills with broad stakeholder support were reported, including measures revising how a Fentanyl Enforcement Task Force meets and tightening retail rules for nitrous-oxide sales to minors.

Votes at a glance

- SB 1278 (Fentanyl Enforcement Task Force): Reported by the committee; motion to report carried (moved and seconded). Outcome: reported to the Senate. (Vote tally not specified on the record.)

- SB 1361 (sale/distribution of nitrous oxide to under-18s; line amendment adopted): Bill amended and reported. Tally recorded: Ayes 15, No 0.

- SB 924 (clarify drug-testing paraphernalia exemption for harm-reduction testing kits): Reported. Tally recorded: Ayes 14, No 0, Abstention 1.

- SB 1421 (Reeves — adds “voice or likeness” to civil statute addressing unauthorized uses; synthetic-media/deepfake issues): Committee adopted a substitute and then voted to “PBI” (pass by indefinitely) and send the measure to a related study (Adam Evans’s work) for additional review. Tally: Ayes 8, No 7. Outcome: tabled/PBI with a letter to related study.

- SB 765 (restore default that persons under guardianship retain voting rights unless the court finds otherwise): Reported. Tally recorded: Ayes 10, No 2, Abstentions 3. Outcome: reported to the Senate.

- SB 1092 (Address Confidentiality Program technical updates and penalties for disclosure): Reported with agreed line edits; result recorded on the floor as Ayes 15, No 0.

What members emphasized: Lawmakers repeatedly said they wanted to balance protecting victims and vulnerable people with constitutional limits on regulation. Several legislators urged further drafting work before decisions: the committee deferred the pedestrian‑safety drafting discussion to allow counsel and prosecutors to attempt consensus language, and the synthetic‑media matter will be held for broader study and coordination with related bills.

Quotes from the meeting

- “We have to get the words right,” Senator (chair) said of efforts to draft a new crosswalk‑penalty provision after victim advocates described severe injuries they say are not being charged aggressively enough.

- “This bill is a positive step forward,” Rob Bohannon of the Motion Picture Association said of the Reeves substitute addressing unauthorized uses of voice and likeness, while other stakeholders urged broader AI‑specific language.

- “This ends up being a very, very costly maneuver for the family members” when voting rights are lost because guardianship orders do not explicitly preserve those rights, Emily Hardy of Virginia Poverty Law Center said in testimony supporting the guardianship bill.

What to watch: Reeves’s synthetic‑media measure is likely to return after additional drafting and consultation with other committees and the Boyd Graves commission; sponsors and stakeholders signaled they intend further meetings this fall. The guardianship voting-rights bill now advances to the Senate for further consideration; advocates asked for implementation guidance to ensure courts apply the new standard consistently.

Meeting context: The committee met as the legislature approaches crossover deadlines and several patrons said they had asked for some bills to be carried to later dockets to permit additional work. Public testimony was extensive on the guardianship matter; the AI and pedestrian‑safety conversations drew both law‑and‑policy experts and family members of victims.

Ending: The committee’s actions send several measures to the Senate calendar and postpone others for more drafting. Sponsors and stakeholders asked legislators to use the week ahead to prepare technical fixes and to coordinate related legislation before the next hearing.","The Senate Committee on General Laws and Technology met Oct. 12 and advanced multiple bills to the full Senate while tabling high‑profile AI and pedestrian‑safety proposals for further drafting and study.","actionData","errors"]

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Stakeholders press Senate committee to broaden Reeves’s bill on unauthorized AI use of voice, likeness; panel PBI’s measure for further study

Senate committee backs bill to make voting the default for adults under guardianship unless court finds otherwise

Senate General Laws committee advances wide-ranging bills; AI deepfakes, guardianship voting and public-safety measures move forward