Restricts use of certain artificial intelligence generated communications in election campaigns.

S3702

SENATE, No. 3702

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 24, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� BRIAN P. STACK

District 33 (Hudson)

Senator� RAJ MUKHERJI

District 32 (Hudson)

SYNOPSIS

���� Restricts use of certain artificial intelligence
generated communications in election campaigns.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act
restricting the use of certain artificial intelligence
generated communications in election campaigns and supplementing P.L.1973, c.83
(C.19:44A-1 et seq.).

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� a.� Communications paid
for or financed by a
candidate committee, joint
candidates committee, political committee, continuing political committee,
independent expenditure committee, political party committee, or legislative
leadership committee, or any group other than such a committee, or any
person
shall be subject to the following:

���� (1) any communication aiding
or promoting the nomination, election, or defeat of any candidate, or providing
political information on any candidate, that was created or altered using
artificial intelligence shall not be published,
circulated,
broadcast, or otherwise made publicly available
within 90 days before an
election;

���� (2) any communication
published
, circulated, broadcast, or otherwise made
publicly available
using artificial intelligence shall be clearly labeled
with the statement, �Artificial intelligence was used in creating this message�;
and

����
(3) any
communication published, circulated, broadcast, or otherwise made publicly
available shall not contain deceptive audio or visual media that was created or
altered using artificial intelligence, features an opposing candidate for the
same office, and that
presents or portrays the
opposing candidate in a manner that is demonstrably false, fraudulent, or
defamatory.

���� b.��� As used in this section,
�artificial intelligence� means a machine-based system that, for explicit or
implicit objectives, infers, from the input it receives, how to generate
outputs such as predictions, content, recommendations, or decisions that may
influence physical or virtual environments.

���� �Communication� means a press
release, pamphlet, flyer, form letter, sign, billboard, paid advertisement
printed in any newspaper or other publication or broadcast on radio or
television, or telephone call featuring a recorded message, or any other form
of advertising, including Internet and digital advertising, directed to the
electorate.

���� �Deceptive audio or visual
media� means any video recording, motion picture film, sound recording,
electronic image, or photograph, or any technological representation of speech
or conduct substantially derivative thereof that appears, to a reasonable
person, to authentically depict any speech or conduct of a person who did not
in fact engage in the speech or conduct and the production of which was
substantially dependent upon technical means, rather than the ability of
another person to physically or verbally impersonate the person.

���� c.���� A person who violates any
provision of this section, in addition to any other penalty provided by law,
shall be guilty of a crime of the fourth degree.

���� d.���
The
Election Law Enforcement Commission shall, in accordance with the
�Administrative Procedure Act,� P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), adopt
rules and regulations as necessary to implement this act.

���� 2.��� This act shall take
effect on the 60th day after the date of enactment.

STATEMENT

���� This bill restricts the use of
certain artificial intelligence generated communications in election campaigns.

���� Under the bill, communications
paid for or financed by a candidate committee, joint candidates committee,
political committee, continuing political committee, independent expenditure
committee, political party committee, or legislative leadership committee, or
any group other than such a committee, or any person will be subject to the
following restrictions:

���� any communication aiding or
promoting the nomination, election, or defeat of any candidate or providing
political information on any candidate using artificial intelligence will not
be permitted to be published, circulated, broadcast, or otherwise made publicly
available within 90 days before an election;

���� any communication published,
circulated, broadcast, or otherwise made publicly available that was created or
altered using artificial intelligence will be required to be clearly labeled
with the statement, �Artificial intelligence was used in creating this
message�; and

���� any communication published,
circulated, broadcast, or otherwise made publicly available will not contain
deceptive audio or visual media that was created or altered using artificial
intelligence, that features an opposing candidate for the same office, and that
presents or portrays the opposing candidate in a manner that is demonstrably
false, fraudulent, or defamatory.

���� A person who violates any
provision of this bill will be guilty of a crime of the fourth degree, in
addition to any other penalty provided by law. �A crime of the fourth degree is
punishable by imprisonment for up to 18 months, a fine of up to $10,000, or
both.

���� The Election Law Enforcement
Commission will be authorized to adopt rules and regulations as necessary to
implement the provisions of this bill.