By: Michael Achterling (ND Monitor)
Gov. Kelly Armstrong signed two bills last week that will change laws surrounding political communications and advertisements in North Dakota.
House Bill 1167, sponsored by Rep. Jonathan Warrey, R-Casselton, would require a disclaimer in capital letters on any political communication or political advertisement created wholly or in part by artificial intelligence tools.
The bill would include advertisements and communications involving political candidates, political committees, political parties and initiated ballot committees or petitions.
“With capital letters, (House Bill) 1167 is a step forward in setting perimeters for the use of AI within political communications,” said Rep. Austen Schauer, R-West Fargo.
The House unanimously passed the bill in February. The Senate unanimously passed the bill in March.
Another bill signed by Armstrong, House Bill 1204, expands state law against publishing knowingly false political advertisements.
If a person “knowingly, or with reckless disregard for its truth” publishes an “untrue, deceptive or misleading” political advertisement or news release, they could be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor, according to the bill.
The bill expands the types of media covered under the law to include text messages, phone calls and social media posts, in addition to radio, television, newspapers, pamphlets and billboards, among others.
The bill was amended on the floor of the Senate by Sen. Sean Cleary, R-Bismarck, former campaign manager for North Dakota U.S. Rep. Julie Fedorchak.
On the day of the 2024 primary election, anonymous text messages were sent to North Dakota voters saying Fedorchak had dropped out of the race, which she did not.
“Knowingly spreading falsehoods about an opponent undermines the integrity of our elections,” Cleary said.
On the House floor, Rep. Colette Brown, D-Warwick, said, in today’s political climate, misinformation can spread faster than ever before.
“Whether on social media, television or traditional campaign materials, this bill ensures that when someone deliberately publishes falsehoods about a candidate, a ballot measure, or any election-related issue, they can be held responsible,” Brown said.
The bill passed the House unanimously in February and the Senate on a 45-1 vote in March.
The new laws will take effect Aug. 1.
