California poised to enact another anti-paparazzi law

By Matthew Belloni

Memo to paparazzi: Drive recklessly, end up in jail.

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger now has a bill on his desk that will impose strict new penalties on photographers who break traffic laws in pursuit of a photo. Under the legislation approved today by the state legislature, those busted can receive up to a $5,000 fine and a year in prison.

The move is the latest in California to try to fight back against aggressive photographers. Schwarzenegger, himself no stranger to paparazzi, signed another bill into law last year that fines photographers for taking photos that invade a celebrity's right to privacy. That law also targets media outlets that purchase the photos.

The bill, which was opposed by the California Newspaper Publishers Association, passed 43-13 today. It was approved by the state senate last Friday.

Schwarzenegger is expected to sign the bill into law.