What's happening
This bill requires the state board of elections to prohibit deliberate misrepresentation of a candidate's character or fitness in campaigns.
Why it matters
Strengthens campaign ethics. by requiring the State Board of Elections to create concrete rules that specifically prohibit intentional lies about a candidate’s character or qualifications, aiming to raise the standard of honesty in campaigns.
Addresses modern deception tactics. by including misleading use of a candidate’s image, name, or likeness—recognizing that deceptive media (like faked photos or manipulated videos) can unfairly influence voters.
Empowers voters with better information. by seeking to ensure that campaign communications are less likely to contain deliberate falsehoods, helping the public make more informed choices based on accurate representations.
Could affect campaign strategies and enforcement. as campaigns would have to be more careful in their messaging, and the Board of Elections would have a clearer mandate to investigate and act on violations.
Albany, before your first meeting.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Ban Candidate Character Lies
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
2 Multi-sponsors
History
- Referred to election law
- Referred to election law
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5982
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 21, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. MONTESANO, GIGLIO, DiPIETRO -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. CROUCH -- read once and referred to the Committee on Election Law
AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to prohibiting the deliberate misrepresentation of the character or fitness of a candidate to hold public office
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 3-106 of the election law, as amended by chapter 8 of the laws of 1978 and redesignated by chapter 9 of the laws of 1978, is amended to read as follows:
1. In addition to the powers and duties elsewhere enumerated in this article, the state board of elections, after public hearings, shall adopt a "fair campaign code" setting forth ethical standards of conduct for persons, political parties and committees engaged in election campaigns including, but not limited to, specific prohibitions against practices of political espionage and other political practices involving subversion of the political parties and process and specific prohibitions against deliberate misrepresentation of the character or fitness of a candidate to hold public office, including the use of a candidate's image, name, or likeness in a manner which is misleading.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09056-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.