Plain English Breakdown
The official text states that existing law already permits shortening committee names for certain ad types; this bill clarifies the definition of those ad types rather than creating a new permission to shorten them generally.
AB-950: Updates to Political Ad Disclosure Rules
This bill creates the Billboard DISCLOSE Act, clarifying that yard signs and billboards count as print ads while defining electronic media ads, and allowing shorter names for top contributors and simplified authorization statements.
What This Bill Does
- Establishes the Billboard DISCLOSE Act to update disclosure laws.
- Clarifies that a print advertisement includes a yard sign or a billboard.
- Defines an electronic media advertisement as a graphic, image, animated graphic, or animated image on an online platform that links to a website paid for by the committee.
- Permits names of top contributors to be shortened using approved abbreviations or by leaving out words from their name.
- Allows bullet points or numbers (1, 2, or 3) to separate the names of the three largest contributors instead of commas on larger printed advertisements.
- Shortens required statements for independent expenditures to 'Not paid for by a candidate' and 'Not paid for by a candidate for this office'.
- Specifies the order in which required disclosures must appear on certain advertisements.
Who It Names or Affects
- Committees that pay for political advertisements.
- Groups creating yard signs, billboards, or online graphics linked to websites paid by a committee.
- Entities making independent expenditures supporting or opposing candidates.
Terms To Know
- Billboard DISCLOSE Act
- The name of the new law established by this bill regarding political advertisement disclosures.
- Independent expenditure
- Money spent on an ad supporting or opposing a candidate that is not authorized by that candidate's committee, requiring specific disclosure statements.
Limits and Unknowns
- The bill does not list the specific approved abbreviations allowed for shortening names.
- The exact order of disclosures is specified in the law but details are not fully described here.
- An effective date has not been set yet.