California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed an anti-paparazzi law that will crack down on unauthorized photographing of celebrities, making it a crime which carries with it fines up to $50,000 for both taking and selling of unauthorized photos of celebrities in “personal or familial activity.” The law will go into effect January 2010.

As MTV News points out it is actually an amendment to the 2005 law which allowed for fines against paparazzi who were found guilty of assaulting a celebrity in the attempt to take a photo, and any income from such photos had to be relinquished. The motivation behind the tough law were two high profile events, car accidents involving Lindsay Lohan and Scarlett Johansson as they were being chased by paparazzi. And additionally, a confrontation between Reese Witherspoon and her children and a photographer at a Disney theme park.

[Source: Arnold Schwarzenegger Signs Anti-Paparazzi Bill]

Additionally, the governor himself and his wife, Maria Shriver were victimized in 1997 when two paparazzi essentially imprisoned them in their car as they were taking their son to school; the two photographers were convicted of false imprisonment.

More on the story, with links to previous stories here: Will California’s New Anti-Paparazzi Law Unleash a Torrent of Law Suits?

See also: Schwarzenegger signs new anti-paparazzi law

A video is below.

Video Link

Gov. Schwarzenegger Signs Anti-Paparazzi Law in California