Since its founding 172 years ago, California has been a global epicenter for incalculable contributions to arts and music. So it may come as a shock to know that barely one in five students attend a public school with an arts and music program — while New York state has almost four in five.

Just think of the implications, when four out of five schoolchildren have no access to dance, theater, music, animation, or anything else under the umbrella of the arts. Because as former Los Angeles Unified School District superintendent Austin Beutner says, arts and music are far from playtime or a distraction — they're crucial to instilling unbounded thinking in kids of all ages.

Furthermore, the lessons therein don't just apply to careers in arts and music, but to every sort.

"It prepares students to become not only professional [artists or] musicians someday, but designers, architects, engineers, writers, poets. All kinds of jobs of today and tomorrow," Beutner tells RecordingAcademy.com. "Lots of research shows us that the impact is there… Music is in the soul. And we want to make sure the whole child — body, mind and soul — all are nourished when they're in school."

That's why Beutner is a public and vocal advocate of the California Arts and Music in Schools Initiative, which is officially on the state's ballot for this year's November election. If passed, Proposition 28 would put about $1 billion of state funding each year to arts and music education in California schools — without raising taxes one iota.

This includes music, dancing, computer graphics, coding, film, and an abundance of other mind- and soul-nourishing art forms — all which enrich children's sense of self-worth, collaboration and agency.

And Beutner's past initiatives with philanthropic music giants like Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine led him to work with Recording Academy Advocacy — also a proponent of Prop. 28 — in order to get the word out and encourage voters to understand the weight of the matter. "Given so much evidence, unfortunately, music is the first to be cut — and it shouldn't be," he says. "So, this is our chance to make sure there's arts and music in every public school."

Read on for an in-depth interview with Beutner about how his early life instilled the importance of arts and music, why there's virtually no resistance to Prop. 28, and what its passage could mean for school communities across America — not just in California.

*Austin Beutner. Photo courtesy of the office of Austin Beutner.*

This interview has been edited for clarity. 

Tell me about which problem — or gap in the social fabric — Prop. 28 aims to ameliorate.

In simplest terms, it's providing access for children to participate in arts and music while at school. In California public schools, barely one in five students attend school with an arts and music program — barely one in five. Compare that to, let's say, New York; New York has almost four in five.

I can take you through all the benefits of participating in arts and music education, like giving a child a reason to come to school — so, increased attendance, and a sense of belonging to a group, and social and emotional well-being. It's one of the most unbounded forms of creative expression, and gives students a sense of agency; it gives them their voice.

What they learn in critical thinking can be applied not only to the world of music, but across the board to so many jobs today and tomorrow. So, it's an essential piece of a well-rounded education.

I think, sometimes, people have a mistaken impression that somehow arts and music are just this "other." You've got math, you've got reading, and you're all good in school. And if you have a little art on top, that's fine, but that's not what it's all about. Arts and music are an essential part of a good education.

In California, barely one in five children have access at school, compounded with the challenge that so many of the children from families that are struggling to get by have little access outside of school.

We're not doing all we can for children, so here's this opportunity to provide adequacy of funding to help schools provide arts and music — and with that, a more creative and brighter future for the six million kids in public school across the state of California.

I feel like matters of the soul, like arts and music, get lost in the sauce when it comes to policy. It's seen as recreation or a distraction or something.

Yeah, sometimes policy-makers don't understand, or haven't had that lived experience themselves. It's an essential piece of learning.

Unfortunately, in schools [during] the last decade or two, there's been an increased trend in trying to measure everything. No Child Left Behind, and a bunch of federal mandates about what you're supposed to measure in terms of literacy and math.

It may be harder to measure arts and music, but it can be done. There are lots and lots of studies that show increased attendance at schools which have a fulsome arts and music program. Kids want to be there. They come to school.

There are a lot of studies that show that children are better — are whole socially and emotionally — when they can participate in arts and music. They gain a sense of agency.

And study after study shows the power of unbounded critical thinking in the arts — how it prepares students to become not only professional [artists or] musicians someday, but designers, architects, engineers, writers, poets. All kinds of jobs of today and tomorrow.

This one may be a little harder to measure, but lots of research shows us that the impact is there. As you said, most fundamentally, music is in the soul. And we want to make sure the whole child — body, mind and soul — all are nourished when they're in school.

Not to draw too much of a connection between these two spheres of society, but I remember reporting a story on how providing arts and music access to incarcerated people was a boon in every conceivable way. Recidivism went down, violence went down, morale went up…

It's in prisons; it's been studied for just about every demographic that exists, from the youngest children to adults who are currently incarcerated — and hopefully not to be reincarcerated.

It's fascinating to me that given so much evidence, unfortunately, music is the first to be cut — and it shouldn't be. So, this is our chance to restore it. It won't raise taxes on anybody. We've put the power in the hands of each school community, so they can figure out which form of expression best suits the needs of children in that school — music, art, dance, theater, animation, anything in between.

And, I'm particularly excited about this — we're asking schools, when they receive the money each year, to share with their school community publicly what they do with the funds, how it aligns with state standards, and the impact it has on children.

I think this approach to radical transparency across the board will elevate some amazing new programs, and programs that already exist but people don't know about. Because, right now, were this to pass, there are some schools that don't have a music program. And the ability to share with them quickly — and for them to access publicly — what other schools are doing [means] we're going to see great ideas flourish. 

California has always been a hotbed for forms of creative expression, and I think we'll look back in five or eight years [and see that this sum] and amazing things will be happening in schools.

I hope it can encourage other states to adopt an effort like this. But also, for schools around the country to see the benefits of arts and music and share good practices so that so many of the voices who are with us and supporting this initiative and stay with us after it passes. To lend their voice and share great ideas.

What I love about this proposition is that it gives kids who might not have type-A personalities an alternative that can help them engender meaning and purpose in their lives. They're not derailed if math or science aren't their thing right off the bat.

There's no question that it will better prepare a generation of students in California for the future. But let's roll back the clock to preschoolers; this will benefit children all the way from preschool to 12th grade.

When preschoolers get together and learn to socialize and be with each other, it's most often through some form of expression like art or music. They'll sing. And, by the way, 99 out of 100 kids enjoy that! So, let's keep it going! 

And for the child who might be distracted or have trouble keeping concentrated, let him or her find their own agency and voice in music. I know for myself, my family moved around a bunch when I was in elementary school. My mom taught in public schools and my father worked in factories. By fifth grade, I had attended five different schools.

When I arrived in Michigan from Missouri, I was a bit concerned about the cold weather, but not so much. The snow didn't bother me. My biggest fear on the first day of school was what I was going to do for lunch. Who was I going to eat lunch with? I did not know anybody which is a scary thing for a shy kid.

A music teacher invited me to a class, which happened to be at lunchtime. I didn't ask what a cello was; I found that out later. I asked whether they had lunch, so I got lunch, and immediately had a group of friends. Cello became bass, bass became guitar, and I developed a sense of belonging; a sense of agency. 

I could play in front of thousands of people before I could speak in front of tens of people. That's my story. Everybody's got their own story of how art or music impacted their lives. It's universal. Everybody does it. We need to make this opportunity exist for all kids in public schools.

*Austin Beutner. Photo: East Grand Rapids High School, Class of 1978*

You and I understand the squishy, ineffable, spiritual part of life on Earth that isn't rigid and binary and formatted. How you're going to express your longings and insecurities and fears.

And it doesn't exist in isolation! It stitches together. Some of the most lettered people are songwriters. Ultimately, music at its highest level is math. So, it weaves in literacy and math and critical thinking, and it's kind of the glue that holds it all together. 

No doubt. Even the simplest pop song is a mathematical marvel. And making music teaches you about collaboration and cooperation. Playing in a band can teach you to work in a boardroom.

Yeah, I remember being in a different elementary-school classroom where we were asked to write a song in musical notation. I couldn't read music, so it was more of a picture for me than a series of sounds.

It was amazing what kids came up with because it was a mathematical expression. It was a pattern, or lack of patterns. It was symmetric or asymmetric. And when you can connect that with a sound, you're activating all parts of your brain with the amount of thinking that goes into that.

At the time, I think they were just trying to teach us half notes and full notes and all the different notes on the scale. But it was unbounded.

How did you come to champion Proposition 28, and how did that, in turn, lead you to join together with the Recording Academy in pursuance of its passage?

In my individual journey, I wouldn't be in this conversation with you without the opportunity I had to participate in arts and music. And many, many moons later, I wound up as the superintendent of schools in Los Angeles. More than half a million kids, their families, the school employees — so, a school community of a few million people.

I visited hundreds of schools and asked what I could do to help. My job was not head teacher; I was not the head principal. My job was to make sure each of the more than 1,000 schools had what they needed. And I would ask, "Give me your top three; what do you need?" Invariably, that would include more arts and music.

Now, if there's adequacy of funding, you can add it. If the funding isn't there, you're presented with this awful choice. You can add music, but how about less P.E. or less lunch? Or, you can add music, but what about less math or less English? None of those are wise choices.

It became clear to me this was an issue of adequacy. Compare New York to California. Almost four in five New York schools have a full-time arts and music program. Pre-pandemic — the last time there were clean numbers on school funding — schools in New York received about $30,000 a year per pupil in funding.

At that same time — in the 2018 and 2019 school years — schools in Los Angeles received about $17,000. The costs are about the same in New York and Los Angeles in terms of a place to live and the biggest component of costs at schools is the people who work at schools, and it costs about the same.

You can't get for 17 what you can get for 30. Those two numbers don't exist in equilibrium. So, $17,000 gets you one in five schools and $30,000 gets you four in five schools. As I heard again and again and again from the students and their families and teachers, "We need arts and music in our school." 

Once you grasped the problem, how did you execute a plan to help them out?

So, when I stepped down as superintendent in June of 2021 and started thinking about what we could do about this. Here in California, we have this initiative process where you can convince a certain number of people — you have to get a million people in California — and you can put any law or idea on the ballot.

We got together with a coalition of fantastic supporters — the folks at Fender had worked together with us at Los Angeles Unified and provided more than 10,000 students with free guitars in middle school during the pandemic.

[Dr.] Dre and Jimmy [Iovine], I'd worked with them to open a new high school which is built on the intersection of entrepreneurship, music and marketing — as they've done with the Iovine and Young [Hall] at USC, but mapping that back to K-12.

Others had been with us as part of a coalition to build a film and TV academy in Los Angeles public schools — George Clooney, Eva Longoria, Mindy Kaling, Brian Lourd and the folks at CAA [Creative Artists Agency] and others. [They aimed] to prepare students for jobs not only in front of the camera, but behind the camera.

A cinematographer has to know physics to understand the refraction of light in the lens. A set designer has to know algebra, because that's how you make the pieces fit… We found ways to bring the talents to schools, but we needed to make sure schools had the money to bring teachers in to help teach the classes.

And how did the Academy get on board? 

We went out, built a coalition and collected a million signatures throughout the state of California in less than 90 days. And as we built the coalition, so many of the artists we were working with said, "We need our partners at the Academy, where we all come together to express our appreciation for music and help share our music with the world."

I was introduced to Harvey Mason jr. and the team, and it was a "You've got me at hello" kind of conversation. Because, he said, "This is what we're all about, ultimately." The GRAMMYs may be the presentation of the highest order of music, but they fully recognize that the point of the GRAMMY mission is to bring everybody into the conversation about music, which includes schoolchildren.

So, they came on board and helped us get the word out, and they continue to do that today. They helped spread the word among their members, and so many of their members are our most fierce advocates, from the Will.i.ams to the Dr. Dres to the Katy Perrys to the Jackson Brownes, and on and on and on.

I'm speaking now for the Academy, but I think it's consistent with their mission and it is authentic. Today, artists can and do express their views on a whole variety of issues, and it's important.

There's nothing more authentic than an artist sharing their view as to what music means to them — the life-path it helped create for them. And there's nothing more authentic for those who work in the industry — as sound engineers, as set designers, as recording engineers, as stagehands.

Across the industry, they've come out in support of this, because they understand the importance of music and are 100 percent behind the goal of making sure every kid in a public school in California has an opportunity to participate.

WIth all of this in mind, what can we do right now in support of Proposition 28?

Help spread the word and make sure people vote Yes on Proposition 28: November 8, this initiative is on the ballot. California will have a chance to vote on Proposition 28. It takes 50 percent plus one voter in the state of California to prove it.

And when voters approve it, this will provide funding to the tune of about $1 billion a year, each and every year, for public schools in California. It will make sure every student in every school — preschool through 12th grade — can benefit. Twice as much money will go to schools serving students in high-needs communities.

So, job one: let's get this passed in California on November 8 and spread the word. There is literally no opposition; it's interesting. There's a voter guide the State of California publishes and shares with every registered voter.

There are seven ballot propositions on this ballot. There have been literally dozens in the past decade, and this is the first one where there's no opposition. What a voter will see on the left-hand side of the page is why we believe you should vote yes — the arguments for the ballot proposition.

On the right side of the page, it's blank. All it says is, "No argument was submitted in opposition to this proposition." Nobody's opposed to this.

So, our first task is to spread the word. We want everybody to understand the benefit of this. Hopefully, voters will vote yes. Then, the next chapter's going to be: we're going to share this with the rest of the nation. This will be, in and of itself, the largest investment in arts and music in our nation's history.

There's a lot of conversation every year about the national endowment for the arts, how much is in the budget, and whether different administrations have increased or decreased that. For context, that's about $200 million a year.

Proposition 28 will provide five times that amount, just in one state. So, if we can get this done in California, let's bring it to Tennessee; let's make it happen in Nashville. Let's do this in New York. Let's do this in New Jersey. This ought to be happening to help kids in every school across the country.

Public schools across the country have a class in literacy — teaching kids to read. They all have something in numeracy; they have science. They should have it in music, and we want to make sure it's happening across the country. This movement starts in California.

The California Arts And Music In Schools Initiative Is Officially On The Ballot: Here's What You Need To Know

Last week, spanning from Springfield to Sacramento, the Recording Academy continued to empower artists and creators through impactful state Advocacy Days. These Advocacy Days highlighted the Academy's unwavering commitment to championing legislative measures that protect and favor artists in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

In Springfield, Illinois, Recording Academy members from the Chicago Chapter convened with members of the Illinois General Assembly to address pressing concerns surrounding the misuse of individuals likeness in the age of generative artificial intelligence.

Central to the discussion was the proposed legislation, HB 4875/SB 3325, which aims to modernize Illinois's Right of Publicity law to specifically address the challenges artists face from AI-generated creations. Since the legislation's introduction the Recording Academy has been a staunch advocate for HB 4875/SB 3325 and how it establishes key safeguards and enforcement mechanisms to ensure an individual's identity is not misappropriated.

Just 24 hours after Advocacy Day in Illinois, the legislation swiftly passed the House by a vote of 79-24 and is now headed to the Senate. Should it be enacted into law, Illinois would become the second state in the nation to proactively protect creators from having their likeness misused by generative AI, setting a vital precedent for other states and the federal government to follow suit. The Recording Academy's advocacy efforts in Springfield reflect a broader commitment to fostering an environment where artists can thrive without fear of exploitation or infringement.

Meanwhile, across the country in Sacramento, California, Recording Academy members from the San Francisco and Los Angeles Chapters joined California for the Arts for its annual Arts Advocacy Day, amplifying their voices in support of legislation that empowers creators and protects their interests. In addition to advocating for robust support for the arts and arts-related funding, among the bills discussed were AB2602 and AB1836, which tackle critical issues ranging from informed consent regarding the use of digital likeness to posthumous protections for deceased individuals.

AB2602 represents a significant step forward in empowering creators by granting them greater control over their digital identity. By requiring informed consent in contracts or negotiations involving digital likeness, the bill promotes transparency and fairness, ensuring that creators retain agency over how their likeness is represented and utilized.

Similarly, AB1836 addresses a glaring gap in California's current Right of Publicity law by extending protections to include deceased creators. In an era dominated by AI-generated replicas, safeguarding individuals' likeness from unauthorized use, even after death, is paramount to preserving their legacy and protecting their families' interests.

As Recording Academy members continue to advocate tirelessly on behalf of artists nationwide, these advocacy days serve as a reminder of the Academy's pivotal role in shaping legislation that fosters a more equitable and supportive environment for creators. By working with creators and amplifying their collective voice, the Academy is effecting meaningful change and paving the way for a brighter future for the music community.

The New York State Senate Passes Bill to Protect Creative Expression: Here's What You Need To Know

On Tuesday, April 30, the Recording Academy will host its annual GRAMMYs on the Hill Awards, Washington's premier annual celebration of music and advocacy, bringing together congressional leaders and music makers to recognize those who have led the fight for creators' rights. 

Sponsored by City National Bank and benefitting the GRAMMY Museum, this year's awards will honor nine-time GRAMMY winner Sheryl Crow and Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) for their contributions to support music creators. Hosted by singer and actress Candiace Dillard Bassett, the awards dinner will be held at the Hamilton Live in Washington, D.C., and will feature live performances and special guests. 

"Protecting the rights of creators lies at the core of the Recording Academy's mission," said Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy. "GRAMMYs on the Hill is an opportunity to celebrate the artists and our nation's leaders who champion this cause, and to acknowledge music's unifying power. We're grateful to Sheryl and Sens. Cornyn and Klobuchar for their tireless efforts in safeguarding the music community and are thrilled to be recognizing them later this month in our nation's capital."

"Receiving this award from the Recording Academy is a tremendous honor for me, because protecting the rights of creators is more important now than ever before,” said Crow. “In this age where technology is changing the world faster than we can adapt, we need clear eyes to see both the opportunities and the challenges ahead, so that artists are not disadvantaged any more than they already are. Music nourishes our humanity, and I am proud to be recognized as an advocate for the protection of the people who make it."

"As a Texan, a love of live music is in my blood, and I've been proud to lead the charge on legislation that helps artists, entertainers, and venues meet the needs of their fans, including the Save Our Stages Act and the Fans First Act," said Sen. Cornyn. "I want to thank the Recording Academy for honoring me, and I look forward to continue to work on behalf of performers and fans across Texas and the nation."  

 "It's an honor to be recognized by the Recording Academy, an organization that uplifts performers, songwriters, and other music professionals in our country," said Sen. Klobuchar. "Music has the power to bring us together and it is something we can never take for granted. That’s why I fought to pass the bipartisan Save Our Stages Act with Senator Cornyn to ensure independent arts venues survived the pandemic, and why we are working together to improve the ticketing experience with the Fans First Act. There's nothing like live music and concerts, and I remain committed to ensuring artists can continue to share their music with the fans who love it." 

Crow has dedicated much of her life to activism, supporting policies and philanthropic endeavors close to her heart. In 2000, she co-founded the Recording Artists' Coalition with previous GRAMMYs on the Hill honoree Don Henley to protect creators' rights and change unfair industry practices. Her advocacy for artists and songwriters continued through congressional testimony, editorials, artist petitions, and more. In 2009, the Recording Artists' Coalition formed an alliance with the Recording Academy to continue its mission as a program within the Academy's Advocacy office. Recently, she has been vocal about the threat that AI presents to music creators, including on her new song "Evolution," which grapples with the future impact of artificial intelligence on humanity and the planet. As a philanthropist, Crow is known for her passionate support of multiple charities, including MusiCares, The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, The World Food Program, Feeding America, ADOPT A CLASSROOM, the Elton John AIDS Foundation, Pelotonia, the Delta Children's Home and many other worthy causes. 

Read more: How The Recording Academy Is Redoubling Its Efforts To Protect Creators From AI Risks

Crow is a nine-time GRAMMY winner and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2023. Her first nine studio albums have sold 35 million copies worldwide; seven charted in the Top 10, and five were certified for multi-platinum sales. Her songs defined the third wave of feminism, a rocker's ability to sweep the pop charts without losing any edge and enough wide-open Midwestern joy to captivate the world.

Cornyn and Klobuchar are the congressional honorees being recognized for their stalwart support of creators and their collaborative efforts championing key policies in support of the music community. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sens. Cornyn and Klobuchar provided a critical lifeline for music through the Save Our Stages Act, which provided $16 billion in federal assistance to shuttered venues and represents the largest federal investment in the arts in U.S. history. In this Congress, they are working to reform live event ticketing through the Fans First Act. Introduced in December 2023, the legislation would address flaws in the ticketing marketplace by increasing transparency, protecting consumers from deceptive practices, and holding bad actors accountable. 

The day after the event, on May 1, the Recording Academy will host the annual GRAMMYs on the Hill Advocacy Day, which brings current and past GRAMMY winners and nominees, along with other esteemed industry leaders, to meet with lawmakers to discuss issues facing today's music creators. The day is recognized as Capitol Hill's largest and most prestigious legislative event for music. This year, music creators will convene with members of Congress to advance key issues that the Academy and its members continue to advocate for, including: 

• Protecting the image, likeness and voice of individual creators from AI fakes through legislative measures such as the No AI FRAUD Act and the No FAKES Act discussion draft.

• Reforming the live event ticket marketplace to better protect artists and fans through legislation including the Fans First Act and the TICKET Act.

For the first time in 2024, GRAMMYs on the Hill will expand beyond the traditional two-day event to reflect Music's Biggest Week in Washington. On May 3, the GRAMMYs on the Hill Future Forum will be held in partnership with the Human Artistry Campaign, and will explore the impact of artificial intelligence on the music community.

Since its inception, GRAMMYs on the Hill has hosted award-winning artists and applauded congressional leaders alike, including 13-time GRAMMY winner Pharrell Williams, then-Vice President Joe Biden, two-time GRAMMY winner Garth Brooks, former United States Secretary of State and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY), four-time GRAMMY winner Missy Elliott, former Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), 28-time GRAMMY winner Quincy Jones, seven-time GRAMMY winner John Mayer, former Speakers of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), 16-time GRAMMY Winner Alicia Keys, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and more. The annual advocacy event has also led to several major legislative wins for the music industry, most notably the Music Modernization Act. 

Ticketing Reforms Make A Big Leap In Maryland: Here's What You Need To Know

The Recording Academy celebrated last week the advancement of improved ticketing reforms as Maryland achieves a groundbreaking milestone with the passage of SB 539. This legislative triumph not only means a new era of consumer and artist protections for live event tickets, but also positions Maryland as a national leader in holding ticket resellers accountable for fraudulent and deceptive practices hosted on their platforms.

"While fans suffer because of this broken system, so do artists" declares a collective statement of support from the Fix the Tix Coalition, which includes the Recording Academy as a founding member. "Predatory resellers view tickets as nothing more than commodities to be traded for outrageous sums, throwing away the cultural and communal value they provide for our society. They exist to undermine the hard work, talent, and livelihoods of artists, inserting themselves as unnecessary and unwanted middlemen who make their money off the backs of the artists and venues who partner to make these events happen."

This legislation introduces a series of pivotal measures aimed at safeguarding consumers and enhancing transparency in the ticketing industry. First, the bill prohibits deceptive practices such as the selling of speculative or counterfeit ticket sales, shielding concertgoers from exploitative practices used by some ticket brokers and resellers. Second, online ticket resale platforms will face increased accountability under Maryland's Consumer Protection Act.

Additionally, transparent pricing practices will be enforced throughout the ticket purchasing process, ensuring consumers have clear and accurate information. Most notably, this includes standards that ensure a breakdown of the face value price, and any fees, is made clear to the consumer throughout the purchase.  

"We're getting used to paying these exorbitant prices. It's funny, now if you get a ticket for face value, that's apparently a big deal," stated Delegate C.T. Wilson, who introduced the legislation in Maryland's House. "That shouldn't be a big deal. We've been tricked into accepting this."

The enforcement of SB 539 seeks to dismantle predatory practices that have long plagued the ticketing industry. From the moment a show is announced, genuine fans are confronted with the uphill battle against scalpers and resellers, who exploit loopholes and employ deceptive tactics to profit at the expense of both fans and artists.

"Legislation like SB 539 is vital to protecting fans, preserving equitable access to entertainment, and restoring balance to the currently broken ticketing ecosystem," the collective statement emphasizes. By removing the profit motive from these practices, such as using illegal bots and price gouging, Maryland's bold legislative actions sets a precedent for other states to follow suit in protecting consumer rights and ensuring a better concert experience for fans and artists alike.

The Recording Academy was one of the many stakeholders who actively worked to pass the legislation and will continue to work towards equitable ticketing practices across the country. There is a collective aspiration that the passage of this legislation in Maryland will serve as a catalyst for change at both the local and federal level.

The Academy remains a staunch advocate for ticketing reform, ensuring that every fan can enjoy the magic of live entertainment without fear of deception or exploitation.

The New York State Senate Passes Bill to Protect Creative Expression: Here's What You Need To Know

In a significant stride towards protecting musicians' creative expression, the New York State Senate passed S. 1738 on March 27. This bill is aimed at safeguarding the free speech of artists, a fundamental part of making music. The Recording Academy has been a staunch advocate of S. 1738, working to advance the legislation in the last two legislative sessions of 2022 and 2023.

Led by Senators Hoylman-Sigal and Bailey, the senate passage of S. 1738 continues the forward momentum for free expression in New York, signaling the state senate’s commitment to upholding the fundamental rights of creators to express themselves through their art. The legislation stipulates that a defendant's artistic works, such as song lyrics, cannot be used as evidence against them in a criminal trial unless it can be proven beyond reasonable doubt that these expressions are admissible.

Researchers have identified nearly 700 cases where lyrics have been used as evidence against hip hop artists, including several dozen in New York. Protecting the First Amendment rights of New York artists is critical to prevent a chilling effect on the state’s music community that plays a vital role in the economic landscape of New York. The music industry in New York contributes close to $20 billion to the state's GDP annually, supporting over 200,000 jobs. From iconic recording studios in New York City to vibrant music scenes in upstate cities like Albany and Buffalo, the state's diverse music community contributes to its reputation as a global hub for creativity and innovation. New York attracts millions of visitors each year to experience live performances, music festivals, and other events throughout the state.

The Recording Academy's support for this legislation in New York is part of a broader effort to champion similar legislation across the country at the state level. In California and Louisiana, the Recording Academy played a pivotal role in passing new laws that solidified the protection of creators' free speech rights. Additionally, in Maryland, Missouri, and Georgia, the Academy has been advancing similar legislation. A recent Advocacy Day in Annapolis, supporting the PACE Act, allowed Recording Academy members from Maryland to meet with legislators and urge them to protect creative and artistic expression.

At the federal level, the Recording Academy has been advocating for the Restoring Artistic Protection Act, also known as the RAP Act since its introduction. Just like at the local level, this legislation aims to protect the First Amendment rights of artists nationwide. Recording Academy CEO, Harvey Mason jr., and Chair of the Recording Academy's Black Music Collective, Rico Love, released a statement during the introduction of the RAP Act in 2022:

"Today's introduction of the RAP Act in the House of Representatives is a crucial step forward in the ongoing battle to stop the weaponization of creative expression as a prosecution tactic," they stated, “ and we will continue to work…to advance the protections in this bill that ensure all artists can create freely without fear of their work being criminalized."

Now, with the successful passage of S. 1738 in the New York State Senate the Recording Academy will continue to work with Academy members to help advocate for this necessary legislation, including bringing Academy members to Albany next month to advocate for the bill’s passage through the state assembly. Ultimately, the goal is to see S. 1738 signed into law, providing much-needed protections for musicians and affirming New York's commitment to upholding the principles of free speech and artistic expression.  

As the legislative journey continues, Recording Academy advocates will continue to advance this critical piece of legislation and ensure that the voices of musicians are valued and protected in the state of New York.

A Victory In Tennessee: Governor Bill Lee Signs The ELVIS Act Into Law