The Paris Hilton Law

It appears that Simple Life star, and billionaire heiress, Paris Hilton, will have a new law named after her. In Arkansas, where the Simple Life was first produced, lawmakers have amended a law to make it a class D felony to film, capture, or look upon an individual's body that is covered, invading their privacy.

Recently released after twenty-three days in jail, Paris Hilton is the daughter of billionaire real estate tycoon, Richard Hilton. Along with friend, Nicole Ritchie, Paris Hilton and the Fox Network, developed a television show wrapped around following the two socialites in vastly different conditions than they have known. The Arkansas version of The Simple Life revolved around Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie's experience living with the Leding family in Altus, Arkansas.

In the Real World like show, Hilton and Ritchie were forced to do chores and get a job. An experiment that blew up continually, as the women were unable to accomplish their daily tasks. Between hurting a farmer's milk supply and using an employer's credit card, Hilton and Ritchie never embraced the work ethic the Leding's really wanted the young women to embrace. In the end, the Leding's threw the book at Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie for their behavior and utter disregard for the lifestyle families in Arkansas live.

Through four more seasons, The Simple Life survived as audiences grew less interested in soapbox that is the lives of Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie. Over time, the personal relationship between the two women began to affect their work and Fox decided not to renew their contract with the show. E Entertainment picked up the show. But it was cancelled after both women were arrested for driving charges. Both girls would eventually be sentenced to time at the county jail in LA.

With both girls running afoul of the law, there is a bit of humor found in Arkansas legislators using Hilton as the model for unacceptable behavior towards women. Sponsored by Donna Hutchinson of Bella Vista, the Paris Hilton Law stems from a multitude of women complaining about pictures of them being taken from either up under their dress or down their blouses. According to the new amendments, using a cell phone or some variety of devices to take a picture of the covered parts of a woman would be a class B misdemeanor.

According to the lawmaker, Paris Hilton always has a wind swirling around her when she is front of the camera. This wind has the ability to lift her dress and to uncover private places. The concern for lawmakers is not Paris Hilton. Their concern is the countless number of women who have had their privacy violated by perverts who are consumed with capturing images of a woman's undergarments. While Paris Hilton's wind may be a publicity stunt, the emotions felt when someone has taken a picture of the bra on a woman can be a major violation.

With the new law, combined with the 2005 voyeurism bill, Arkansas is attempting to lead by example; joining twelve other states that have similar laws in place. The human concern for lawmakers revolves around the fact that most offenders of this law are students. Will the law be enough of a deterrent to keep them from screwing up their lives by looking up under a woman's skirt?

The Paris Hilton Law is intended to support women who have been or could be victimized by a Peeping Tom. It is the hope of Donna Hutchinson and other lawmakers that getting a law on the books with a stiffer penalty than what is currently there will harness some of the alleged activities going on as young men seek to capture a brief, quick, Kodak moment of a woman's private garments.