S.B. No. 277
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to the use in an advertisement of a name or picture of a
  member of the United States armed forces or the state military
  forces; providing a criminal penalty.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter D, Chapter 35, Business & Commerce
  Code, is amended by adding Section 35.64 to read as follows:
         Sec. 35.64.  CERTAIN USES OF NAME OR PICTURE OF MEMBER OF
  ARMED FORCES PROHIBITED.  (a)  In this section:
               (1)  "Heir" means a surviving grandparent, parent,
  sibling, child, or grandchild of a deceased individual.
               (2)  "Personal representative" means an executor,
  independent executor, administrator, independent administrator, or
  temporary administrator, together with their successors.
         (b)  A person commits an offense if the person uses, in an
  advertisement for a commercial purpose, the name of an individual
  who is an active duty or former member of the United States armed
  forces, who is a member or former member of a reserve component of
  the United States armed forces, or who is a member or former member
  of the state military forces, as defined by Section 431.001,
  Government Code, or a picture of the individual in uniform in which
  the individual is clearly identifiable, without obtaining the
  consent of:
               (1)  the individual, if the individual is living; or
               (2)  the individual's surviving spouse or personal
  representative or a majority of the individual's adult heirs, if
  the individual is deceased.
         (c)  An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor.
         (d)  This section does not apply to a member of the print or
  broadcast media who uses a name or picture of an individual in a
  report of news to the public or an advertisement for that report.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2007.
 
 
 
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 277 passed the Senate on
  March 14, 2007, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0; and that
  the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 10, 2007, by the
  following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 277 passed the House, with
  amendment, on April 25, 2007, by the following vote: Yeas 134,
  Nays 0, one present not voting.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
 
  Approved:
 
  ______________________________ 
              Date
 
 
  ______________________________ 
            Governor