Vermont H. 846: An act relating to the application of general law to chartered municipalities

Bill Text

BILL AS INTRODUCED H.846
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VT LEG #386598 v.1
H.846 1
SHORT FORM 2
Introduced by Representatives Cina of Burlington, Arsenault of Williston, 3
Burrows of West Windsor, Critchlow of Colchester, Galfetti of 4
Barre Town, Logan of Burlington, McGill of Bridport, Page of 5
Newport City, Pouech of Hinesburg, Priestley of Bradford, 6
Rachelson of Burlington, and Sibilia of Dover 7
Referred to Committee on 8
Date: 9
Subject: Elections; candidates; committees; advertisements; artificial 10
intelligence; disclosures 11
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to define “high-12
traffic online platform,” to require high-traffic online platforms to block the 13
posting of materially deceptive content related to elections in Vermont during 14
specified periods before and after an election, and to require these platforms to 15
appropriately label inauthentic, synthetic, or false content during specified 16
periods before and after an election in Vermont. This bill also proposes to 17
prohibit a person, committee, or other entity from knowingly distributing an 18
advertisement or other election communication that contains materially 19
deceptive content with malice within 120 days before an election in Vermont. 20
This bill also proposes to authorize a recipient of materially deceptive content, 21

BILL AS INTRODUCED H.846
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VT LEG #386598 v.1
elections official, or candidate or committee participating in the election to file 1
a civil action to enjoin the distribution of the deceptive media and to seek 2
damages against the person, committee, or other entity that distributed it. This 3
bill also proposes to require a committee that creates, publishes, or distributes a 4
qualified political advertisement to include in the advertisement a specified 5
disclosure whenever the advertisement was generated or substantially altered 6
using artificial intelligence. 7
An act relating to artificial intelligence and elections 8
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 9
(TEXT OMITTED IN SHORT-FORM BILLS) 10