MT HB513

Montana residents and those domiciled in the state at death have property rights in their name, voice, and visual likeness that are transferable, licensable, and descendible for 20 years after death

Unauthorized distribution of AI tools designed to create digital voice or visual depictions of identified individuals for commercial use creates liability of $50,000 per violation or actual damages, plus profits

Intentionally publishing unauthorized AI-generated digital depictions for commercial use with knowledge they are unauthorized triggers the same penalties

Exemptions include news gathering, public affairs reporting, sports broadcasts, comment, criticism, scholarship, satire, parody, and fleeting or negligible uses

Effective January 1, 2026; civil actions must be filed within 4 years of discovering the violation; broadband internet access providers are exempt