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SB141 • 2026

Political campaign advertisements; synthetic media, penalty.

<p class=ldtitle>A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 8.01-261, 19.2-249.2, 24.2-955, 24.2-955.1, 24.2-955.3, and 24.2-960 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 9.5 of Title 24.2 an article numbered 7, consisting of a section numbered 24.2-961, relating to elections; political campaign advertisements; synthetic media; penalty.</p>

Elections
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Salim
Last action
2026-03-14
Official status
Failed
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill failed to pass and was enacted as of the last update, which contradicts its current status.

Election Advertisements with Synthetic Media

This law prohibits political ads during elections from using fake videos or audio without clear warnings and sets fines for breaking this rule.

What This Bill Does

  • It makes it illegal to use synthetic media in election ads without a warning message.
  • The warning must say that the ad contains altered or artificially generated content.
  • Violators can be fined up to $25,000 and face criminal charges if they break this rule on purpose.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Political campaigns that use ads during elections
  • People or groups making electioneering communications

Terms To Know

Synthetic media
Videos, audio clips, or images that are altered from their original form or created artificially.
Electioneering communication
Ads about political candidates or issues close to an election.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass and was enacted as of the last update.
  • It does not specify what happens if someone breaks this rule accidentally.
  • Details on how courts will handle requests for injunctions are not provided in the summary.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-14 Senate

    No further action taken

  2. 2026-03-14 Senate

    Failed to Pass from conference

  3. 2026-03-14 Senate

    Failed to Pass from conference

  4. 2026-03-12 Senate

    Senate Conferees: Salim, Perry, French

  5. 2026-03-12 Senate

    Conferees appointed by Senate

  6. 2026-03-12 House

    Read third time

  7. 2026-03-12 House

    committee substitute agreed to

  8. 2026-03-12 House

    Engrossed by House - committee substitute

  9. 2026-03-12 House

    Passed House with substitute (62-Y 34-N 0-A)

  10. 2026-03-12 Senate

    House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 40-N 0-A)

  11. 2026-03-12 House

    House insisted on substitute

  12. 2026-03-12 House

    House requested conference committee

  13. 2026-03-12 Senate

    Senate acceded to request (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  14. 2026-03-12 House

    Conferees appointed by House

  15. 2026-03-12 House

    House Conferees: Hayes, Maldonado, Pence

  16. 2026-03-11 House

    Read second time

  17. 2026-03-11 Communications, Technology and Innovation

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB141)

  18. 2026-03-09 Communications, Technology and Innovation

    Reported from Communications, Technology and Innovation with substitute (15-Y 6-N)

  19. 2026-03-09 House

    House committee offered

  20. 2026-03-09 Communications, Technology and Innovation

    Committee substitute printed 26109370D-H1

  21. 2026-03-02 Privileges and Elections

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB141)

  22. 2026-02-27 Privileges and Elections

    Referred from Privileges and Elections and referred to Communications, Technology and Innovation and rereferred to Communications, Technology and Innovation (Voice Vote)

  23. 2026-02-19 House

    Placed on Calendar

  24. 2026-02-19 House

    Read first time

  25. 2026-02-19 Privileges and Elections

    Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections

  26. 2026-02-16 Senate

    Read third time and passed Senate (34-Y 4-N 0-A)

  27. 2026-02-13 Senate

    Read second time

  28. 2026-02-13 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Voice Vote)

  29. 2026-02-13 Privileges and Elections

    Committee substitute agreed to (Voice Vote)

  30. 2026-02-13 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate (Voice Vote)

  31. 2026-02-12 Senate

    Rules suspended

  32. 2026-02-12 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  33. 2026-02-12 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  34. 2026-02-12 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  35. 2026-02-11 Privileges and Elections

    Committee substitute printed 26107736D-S1

  36. 2026-02-11 Privileges and Elections

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB141)

  37. 2026-02-10 Privileges and Elections

    Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute (9-Y 6-N)

  38. 2026-02-10 House

    House committee offered

  39. 2026-02-10 Senate

    Senate committee offered

  40. 2026-01-29 Senate

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB141)

  41. 2026-01-06 Senate

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100611D

  42. 2026-01-06 Privileges and Elections

    Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections

Official Summary Text

Elections; political campaign advertisements; synthetic media; penalty.
Prohibits electioneering communications containing synthetic media, as those terms are defined in the bill, from being published or broadcast without containing the following conspicuously displayed statement: "This message contains synthetic media that has been altered from its original source or artificially generated and may present conduct or speech that did not occur." The bill creates a civil penalty not to exceed $25,000 for a violation of such prohibition and a Class 1 misdemeanor for a willful violation. The bill permits any registered voter who receives an electioneering communication in violation of this requirement to institute an action for preventative relief to prohibit the publication or dissemination of such electioneering communication, including an application for a permanent or temporary injunction.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL NO. 141

AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE

(Proposed by the House Committee on Communications, Technology and Innovation

on March 9, 2026)

(Patron Prior to Substitute--Senator Salim)

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered
8.01-46.3
, relating to defamatory electioneering.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered
8.01-46.3
as follows:

§
8.01-46.3
. Defamatory electioneering injunction.

In addition to any other remedies available, in any civil action based on a claim of defamation involving the broadcast or dissemination of allegedly defamatory media within 30 days of an election in which the plaintiff is a candidate for office, the plaintiff shall be entitled to make a motion for injunctive relief to prohibit the further publication or dissemination of such media. In making its determination on whether to grant such injunctive relief, a court shall consider the public's interest in having a properly informed electorate. Such motion shall be given priority over all pending matters before the court.