H 846

 BILL AS INTRODUCED  H.846
 2026  Page 1 of 2
1H.846
2SHORT FORM
3 Introduced by Representatives Cina of Burlington, Arsenault of Williston,
4Burrows of West Windsor, Critchlow of Colchester, Galfetti of
5Barre Town, Logan of Burlington, McGill of Bridport, Page of
6Newport City, Pouech of Hinesburg, Priestley of Bradford,
7Rachelson of Burlington, and Sibilia of Dover
8 Referred to Committee on
9 Date:
10 Subject: Elections; candidates; committees; advertisements; artificial
11intelligence; disclosures
12 Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to define “high-
13 traffic online platform,” to require high-traffic online platforms to block the
14 posting of materially deceptive content related to elections in Vermont during
15 specified periods before and after an election, and to require these platforms to
16 appropriately label inauthentic, synthetic, or false content during specified
17 periods before and after an election in Vermont. This bill also proposes to
18 prohibit a person, committee, or other entity from knowingly distributing an
19 advertisement or other election communication that contains materially
20 deceptive content with malice within 120 days before an election in Vermont.
21 This bill also proposes to authorize a recipient of materially deceptive content,
                                                                    VT LEG #386598 v.1
 BILL AS INTRODUCED  H.846
 2026  Page 2 of 2
1 elections official, or candidate or committee participating in the election to file
2 a civil action to enjoin the distribution of the deceptive media and to seek
3 damages against the person, committee, or other entity that distributed it. This
4 bill also proposes to require a committee that creates, publishes, or distributes a
5 qualified political advertisement to include in the advertisement a specified
6 disclosure whenever the advertisement was generated or substantially altered
7 using artificial intelligence.
8    An act relating to artificial intelligence and elections
9 It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
10(TEXT OMITTED IN SHORT-FORM BILLS)
                                                                     VT LEG #386598 v.1