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HLS 26RS-1073 REENGROSSED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 459
BY REPRESENTATIVES MANDIE LANDRY AND DOMANGUE
ELECTIONS/CANDIDATES: Provides relative to the use of artificial intelligence in
political campaigns
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 18:1463(A), (F), and (G) and to enact R.S. 18:1463(H), relative
3 to required disclosures in political materials and communications; to provide for
4 disclosures related to the use of artificial intelligence to create the image or likeness
5 of a candidate; to provide for criminal penalties; to provide for definitions; and to
6 provide for related matters.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 18:1463(A), (F), and (G) are hereby amended and reenacted and R.S.
9 18:1463(H) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
10 §1463. Political material; ethics; prohibitions
11 A. The Legislature of Louisiana finds that the state has a compelling interest
12 in taking every necessary step to assure that all elections are held in a fair and ethical
13 manner and finds that an election cannot be held in a fair and ethical manner when
14 any candidate or other person is allowed to print or distribute any material which
15 falsely alleges that a candidate is supported by or affiliated with another candidate,
16 group of candidates, or other person, or a political faction, or to publish statements
17 that make scurrilous, false, or irresponsible adverse comments about a candidate or
18 a proposition. The legislature further finds that the state has a compelling interest
19 to protect the electoral process and that the people have an interest in knowing the
20 identity of each candidate whose number appears on a sample ballot in order to be
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1 fully informed and to exercise their right to vote for a candidate of their choice. The
2 legislature further finds that it is essential to the protection of the electoral process
3 that the people be able to know who is responsible for publications in order to more
4 properly evaluate the statements contained in them and to informatively exercise
5 their right to vote. The legislature further finds that it is essential to the protection
6 of the electoral process to prohibit misrepresentation that a person, committee, or
7 organization speaks, writes, or acts on behalf of a candidate, political committee, or
8 political party, or an agent or employee thereof. The legislature further finds that it
9 is essential to the protection of the electoral process that the public not be deceived
10 or misled by an image or likeness of a candidate that is created using artificial
11 intelligence.
12 * * *
13 F.(1) No person shall make or cause to be made any electioneering
14 communication or any digital material placed or promoted on a public facing
15 website, web application, or digital application within sixty days before any election
16 in which a candidate is on the ballot that portrays the candidate and that is created
17 using artificial intelligence without providing a clear and understandable disclosure
18 on the electioneering communication or digital material that it was created using
19 artificial intelligence.
20 (2) For purposes of this Subsection, the following terms have the following
21 meanings:
22 (a) "Artificial intelligence" shall have the same meaning as provided in R.S.
23 14:73.14.
24 (b) "Electioneering communication" shall have the same meaning as
25 provided in Paragraph (C)(5) of this Section.
26 (c) "Candidate" shall have the same meaning as provided in R.S. 18:1483.
27 G. F. For the purposes of this Section, the term "digital material" means any
28 material or communication that, for a fee or other payment, is placed or promoted
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1 on a public facing website, web application, or digital application, including a social
2 network, advertising network, or search engine.
3 H. G. Whoever violates any provision of this Section shall be fined not more
4 than two thousand dollars or be imprisoned, with or without hard labor, for not more
5 than two years, or both.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 459 Reengrossed 2026 Regular Session Mandie Landry
Abstract: Requires a disclosure on electioneering communications and certain digital
materials when the material contains the image or likeness of a candidate that is
created using artificial intelligence, subject to criminal penalties.
Present law (R.S. 18:1463) requires that certain electioneering communications and digital
materials contain a disclosure of the person paying for the communication.
Proposed law retains present law and further finds that it is essential to the protection of the
electoral process that the public not be deceived or misled by an image or likeness of a
candidate that is created using artificial intelligence, and therefore provides that no person
shall make any electioneering communication or any digital material placed or promoted on
a public facing website, web application, or digital application within 60 days before an
election in which a candidate is on the ballot that portrays the candidate and that is created
using artificial intelligence without providing a clear and understandable disclosure on the
electioneering communication or digital material that it was created using artificial
intelligence.
Present law provides that whoever violates present law shall be fined not more than $2,000
or be imprisoned, with or without hard labor, for not more than two years, or both.
Proposed law retains present law and applies present law penalties to proposed law.
Present law defines "digital material" as any material or communication that, for a fee, is
placed or promoted on a public facing website, web application, or digital application,
including a social network, advertising network, or search engine.
Proposed law adds to the present law definition of "digital materials" materials or
communications placed or promoted for any payment other than a fee.
Present law (R.S. 14:73.14) defines "artificial intelligence" as an artificial system developed
in computer software, physical hardware, or other context that solves tasks requiring
human-like perception, cognition, planning, learning, communication, or physical action.
Proposed law retains present law and applies the same definition to proposed law.
Present law defines "electioneering communication" as any broadcast, cable, or satellite
communication that refers to a legally qualified candidate for elected office and is broadcast
within 60 days before any election in which such candidate is on the ballot.
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Proposed law retains present law and applies the same definition to proposed law.
Present law (R.S. 18:1483(3)) defines "candidate" as a person who seeks nomination or
election to public office, except the office of president or vice president of the United States,
presidential elector, delegate to a political party convention, United States senator, United
States congressman, or political party office. An individual shall be deemed to seek
nomination or election to such office if the individual has done any of the following:
(1) Since prior participation in an election, if any, received and accepted a contribution
or made an expenditure, or has given his consent for any other person or committee
to receive a contribution or make an expenditure with a view to influencing his
nomination or election to office whether or not the specific public office for which
he will be a candidate is known at the time the contribution is received or the
expenditure is made.
(2) Taken the action necessary under the laws of the state of La. to qualify himself for
nomination or election to public office.
(3) Been selected as a party nominee in accordance with present law (R.S. 18:410.6).
Proposed law retains present law and applies the same definition to proposed law.
(Amends R.S. 18:1463(A), (F), and (G); Adds R.S. 18:1463(H))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The House Floor Amendments to the engrossed bill:
1. Provide for disclosure of the use of artificial intelligence in the making of
electioneering communications rather than in the distribution or transmission of
paid political announcements or advertisements.
2. Require that the disclosure be clear and understandable, rather than require that
the disclosure appear in the manner provided for in present law related to
disclosure of the name of third-party payors.
3. Remove the proposed law increase of the criminal fine to $10,000, keeping
the fine at the present law $2,000.
4. Provide a definition for "candidate".
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