The United States Congress has followed the lead of the Executive Council of the European Union in passing strongly-worded legislation that makes it a crime for record producers to sign contracts with singers based on decisions in which physical appearance counts for more than 20%.
The so-called "Milli's Law" mandates prison terms of up to 10 years and fines of $50,000 to $1,000,000 for "anyone who willfully places a drool-inspiring, scantily-clad slab of pulchritude, male or female, in front of an open microphone without first ascertaining that he or she knows middle C from an elk fart."
Share prices in Sony, Warner, Virgin, MCI and Island Records all plummeted upon announcement of the new law, which goes into effect on June 1st.
