Bill Overview
Title: Restoring Artistic Protection Act of 2022
Description: This bill limits the admissibility of evidence of a defendant's creative or artistic expression against the defendant in a federal criminal case. The term creative or artistic expression means the expression or application of creativity or imagination in the production or arrangement of forms, sounds, words, movements, or symbols, including music, dance, performance art, visual art, poetry, literature, film, and other such objects or media.
Sponsors: Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank," Jr. [D-GA-4]
Target Audience
Population: Defendants in federal criminal cases with creative or artistic works
Estimated Size: 150000
- The bill affects defendants in federal criminal cases where their creative or artistic works are produced or presented as evidence.
- This includes individuals from a variety of artistic disciplines such as music, dance, visual arts, film, and literature.
- Defendants using artistic expression in any form may find their works less likely to be used against them in federal court, impacting their legal strategy and case outcomes.
- Artists and creators who may be wrongly accused and have their work misinterpreted as evidence of guilt are particularly impacted.
Reasoning
- The population distribution and policy budget suggest the need for targeting individuals involved in federal criminal cases where their artistic work has been used as evidence.
- Considering the wide range of artistic disciplines, the sample includes diverse profiles, such as musicians, filmmakers, writers, and visual artists.
- The policy is particularly relevant to those whose work may have been misinterpreted in a legal context.
- Budget constraints require focusing on high-impact cases where innovative legal defenses might benefit significantly from the policy.
Simulated Interviews
Music Producer (New York, NY)
Age: 27 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's frustrating that my songs, which are just creative expressions, are being twisted to paint me as a criminal.
- I believe this policy will help people like me have a fairer legal process.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 3 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 2 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 1 |
Screenwriter (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 32 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy is a relief. I'm tired of my work being misconstrued as some kind of threat.
- Artists need protection to freely explore difficult topics without fear.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 4 |
Visual Artist (Houston, TX)
Age: 41 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I welcome any policy that can prevent my art from being misused in court.
- The freedom to express uncomfortable truths is part of my artistic duty.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Performance Artist (Chicago, IL)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy is empowering. It's oppressive when art is used to suppress artists themselves.
- We need more such protections.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 2 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 2 |
Poet (Seattle, WA)
Age: 24 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's reassuring to know my poems won't be taken out of context to incriminate me.
- Artists are not criminals for depicting reality.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 3 |
Filmmaker (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 37 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This bill provides necessary protection for documentary filmmakers.
- Our work should inspire discourse, not legal trouble.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
Songwriter (Miami, FL)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It finally feels like my creative rights are being acknowledged.
- Art is not a weapon—it’s a mirror.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 3 |
Author (Austin, TX)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This bill is a sensible step towards protecting authors like me.
- Fiction is a safe space to explore ideas, not to incite crime.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Graphic Novelist (Denver, CO)
Age: 39 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's critical to my career that my works aren't seen as risky in legal terms.
- This policy protects my freedom to draw, literally and metaphorically.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 3 |
Dancer (Philadelphia, PA)
Age: 31 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The chance my dance work is no longer incriminating is liberating.
- Movement is a language we can't let be silenced.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 3 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 2 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 2 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $25000000 (Low: $20000000, High: $30000000)
Year 2: $24500000 (Low: $19500000, High: $29500000)
Year 3: $24000000 (Low: $19000000, High: $29000000)
Year 5: $23500000 (Low: $18500000, High: $28500000)
Year 10: $23000000 (Low: $18000000, High: $28000000)
Year 100: $23000000 (Low: $18000000, High: $28000000)
Key Considerations
- The bill's implementation relies on federal judicial education and updates to evidentiary guidelines, which poses administrative costs.
- Public perceptions of fairness in legal systems could be positively affected, but assessing quantitative impacts is complex.
- Consider potential overlap with ongoing legal reforms or other legislative changes impacting federal court procedures.