The Hawaii state Senate passed the so-called Steven Tyler Act. It is now headed to the House for consideration.
The bill would make it a civil violation for paparazzi to take photos or videos of others in private moments. Tyler asked Hawaii Sen. Kalani English to sponsor the legislation after photographers took unwanted photos of him and his girlfriend in Maui last December.
Tyler owns a multimillion dollar home in Maui, which is part of English's district. English said the proposal could help increase celebrity tourism in Hawaii.
Opponents call the bill an attack on First Amendment rights.
"We have been the butt of many editorials and jokes across the country for this proposed legislation," said Sen. Sam Slom, who joked, "My final remarks to Steven Tyler as he sang so eloquently are, 'Dream on, dream on.'"
In addition to Tyler, other celebrities have supported the bill, including Britney Spears, Mick Fleetwood and the Osborne family.
They say intrusive paparazzi make it difficult to enjoy simple activities with family and friends.
However, national media organizations worry about the proposal's impact on freedom of the press. The National Press Photographers Association and the Society of Professional Journalists were some of several national media organizations that submitted testimony opposing the bill.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
