HSB 599

This bill relates to the use of artificial intelligence in technologies used in elections and the publication of certain materials related to elections. The bill prohibits the use of artificial intelligence, defined in the bill, in automatic tabulating equipment, ballot marking devices, and optical scan voting systems approved for use in this state. The bill also requires published material generated through the use of artificial intelligence and designed to expressly advocate the nomination, election, or defeat of a candidate for public office or the passage or defeat of a ballot issue to include a disclosure that the published material was generated using artificial intelligence. A person who fails to include such a disclosure is guilty of a class “D” felony. A class “D” felony is punishable by confinement for no more than five years and a fine of at least $1,025 but not more than $10,245. The bill requires published material designed to expressly advocate the nomination, election, or defeat of a candidate for public office or the passage or defeat of a ballot issue that includes a materially deceptive depiction of a candidate to include a disclosure that the published material has been manipulated. _____ been altered to change the saturation, brightness, contrast, color, or other visible quality of an image of a candidate. A person who fails to include such a disclosure is guilty of a class “D” felony. The bill prohibits a person from making or publishing, or causing to be made or published, a false representation about a candidate or ballot issue that is intended to or actually affects voting at an election. By operation of law, a person who violates this provision of the bill is guilty of a serious misdemeanor. A serious misdemeanor is punishable by confinement for no more than one year and a fine of at least $430 but not more than $2,560.